The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)

The Warring Flame

Hao Shaoshang knelt upon a rough circle of cool stone, waiting for his turn. Each breath in the cycling pattern caused the flames which danced upon his massive frame to ebb and spread, following the lines and whorls of his tattoos. A pleasant burning sensation followed the fire's path, like the pain from a long run. He could hear the crowd roaring in the background, but it was a distant sound. The crashing waves of an unseen ocean rather than an immediate concern. His turn was coming, soon. Anticipation coated his tongue, and his heart began to race before disciplined breathing brought it back into the proper rhythm. Too much too soon would be his undoing. Control would be his victory. Steps echoed down the fighter's staging hall as someone approached his room. They were heavy and sure, likely from the fat bastard Youmo.

A meaty knock rocked the door as it creaked open. Opening his eyes, Hao Shaoshang saw Youmo standing in the doorframe, a sharp frown gracing the quivering jowls of the cage master.

"Your match is in five minutes," Youmo began, "So this is the last chance. In addition to your normal pay, you'll get a 15% cut of the bettings. They promise to be substantial. Take it or leave it."

"Leave it," Hao Shaoshang grunted.

"Well fuck you. Since you won't play ball, I want your ass out of here by sunrise. Win or lose."

Nodding to acknowledge Youmo's statement, Hao Shaoshang closed his eyes again and resumed the breathing pattern, letting the flames continue their path. The sound of his door closing and heavy footsteps away signaled the cage master's retreat. Time dripped away from him, like wax from a candle. Shortly though, softer sounds of lighter feet reached his ears and nervous breathing followed the door creaking open.

"Sir Hao, it is time for your match."

Standing up and opening his eyes, he saw a small timid serving girl who quickly bowed and left once she knew that her words had been received. Taking some time to crack his joints, Hao Shaoshang began the short walk to his designated spot, a little alcove connected to the large cage used to contain the matches. And what a cage it was! Located in a pit, it had a slightly elevated ring that was used for the arena. Large black iron bars speared up from the ground only to curve and meet at the ceiling. A variety of runes had been etched into the bars themselves giving durability beyond what was natural. Lit braziers surrounding the cage gave ample light to the sandy arena while hiding the raucous crowd above in shadow.

His opponent stood on the other side of the cage, a wiry man with black hair tightly secured in a top-knot. Half-lidded eyes and a loose smile completed the ensemble. Two curved knives whirled and danced between the long fingers of their hands, fast enough that it looked like a stream of water. Both his opponent and himself wore the same white robes. Better to see the bloodshed.

"To the North, we have Hao Shaoshang!" Exclaimed the announcer up in the stadium. "A recent addition to the circuit, he has taken our regulars by storm. Match after match has been claimed by his fire and his brawn! However, his toughest match is neigh! Will this be the end for Hao Shaoshang's winning streak!

"To the South, we have Shui Jiliu! A man who has won acclaim in cage matches from the Laughingstar Sea to the Frozen Highlands! From Jingyi's Summit to the Sunset Wastes! Speed, skill, and savagery he has in spades, which has won him match after match! He even has the honor of being asked to duel in the Farmer's circuit due to his skill! Will Hao Shaoshang be another notch for Shui Jiliu's belt?

"The books remain open, so place your bets while you can!"

A susurrus of cloth and movement greeted the pronouncement as eager bidders rose to place coin on who would win, and other possibilities. He waited, staring at his opponent while his blood thundered through him. He waited, watching for ticks of nervousness or unease while his muscles tensed and relaxed in a well-rehearsed rhythm. He waited, seeking any sign of foul play amongst the crowd and organizers as anticipation coursed through him in a torrent. Then the gong sounded, thrumming through his bones with its tone, and the wait was over.

Stepping through the doors that closed and locked behind him, Hao Shaoshang clasped both hands in the gesture for respect and bowed to his opponent, who did likewise. Then the gong sounded again and flames erupted over his skin as he hurtled towards Shu Jiliu. A quick slash tried to deter him, but he ducked under it, going to the ground on all fours and trying to take his opponent's knees with his shoulder. It almost worked, but the leg quickly twirled away leaving Hao Shaoshang skidding to a halt before he could slam into the cage.

Quickly twisting and slapping the oncoming thrust away saved him from getting a dagger to the back, but Shu Jiliu used the energy of the strike to spin away. Going low again, Hao Shaoshang charged, grabbing some sand and throwing it towards the eyes. Crashing through the sheet of water that thundered into place ahead of him almost took his breath away, yet it wasn't enough to stop his advance. A searing palm met flesh in a blow that sent Shu Jiliu reeling, robe being burnt away to reveal the flesh next to his kidney already blistering from the heat. Hao Shaoshang's follow-up punch caught his opponent's ribcage with the sound of sizzling meat before a whip of water grabbed his ankle and tore him to the ground. A quick roll backward avoided a dagger to the thigh, but couldn't avoid the second rapid strike plunging of a dagger into and out of his shoulder blade.

Hao Shaoshang's blood thundered in his ears, mirrored by the crowd's roars, as he circled around Shu Jiliu. With a deep breath, he spiraled out anam in intricate patterns and his flesh changed. Gone was the earthy tan of a man who walked underneath the sun, replaced by the white of finely burned ash. His tattoo's changed as well, turning from black ink to the color of rusted steel. A slash of water from his opponent was ducked under, and a whip of water sliding along the ground was stomped on, dissolving the stand. Two steps forward and his fist warped the sheet of water trying to halt him, shattering the barrier. He would not be stopped. A dagger flashed toward his eye, but the hand propelling it was caught in his own fist, before crushing his opponent's fingers. The fight didn't take long after that. Sending his fist against their ribs cracked the bone, a stomp with his heel broke an ankle, and a knee to his opponent's falling sternum shattered it. Releasing the mangled hand, Hao Shaoshang let Shu Jiliu crumble to the ground.

A roaring crowd met his victory. Ecstatic betters heckling spiteful losers. Fellows with a stretcher carried Shu Jiliu out, but he didn't pay them, or his groaning opponent, any mind. He walked back to his modest quarters letting the cries of his admirers fade into the stout stone. Taking a moment to bandage his shoulder, he bundled his meager possession, and singular treasure, in a blanket attached to a sturdy stick. Stopping by the paymaster for his pay, he was out of the building and into the streets within an hour of his win. Before even some of the patrons had managed to leave. Stars twinkled above him as he walked ever east. Towards the Sunset Wastes.


A/N: Have another omake! I wanted to test out my hand at writing some fighting, so here is my efforts. Also, I thought I would explore what a Sage technique using War anam would look like, just becoming a juggernaut shattering everything in your path. I hope you all enjoy the read!

A/N: A big thanks to the 49 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. Or, if you'd like to support me without the monthly commitment, you can buy me a cup of Ko-Fi here. Join up on Patreon now to get an exclusive Bihai sidestory!
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The morning after your arrival in Mockingjay is spent luxuriating in utter hedonism. Rather than wake with the dawn, you fail to rise until a full hour after the sun has begun its ascent. And when you do finally pull yourself free from your decadently soft blankets and cotton-stuffed pillows, it is to venture down into the Conquest's common room and enjoy a rich breakfast that you do not have to prepare yourself! There's even an attendant there to take your bowl from your table mere moments after you've emptied it!

You can only watch the attendant go with a bemused smile on your face as you shake your head. Is this the luxury that Seated get to enjoy every day?

But soon enough, even the wonders of a lazy morning fade, and you're left to ponder what to do next. Today and part of tomorrow are completely bereft of anything pressing. Cloud's Breath has yet to recover, so you cannot continue training the Elegant Plume. You've no projects that must be completed before an impending deadline. You don't even have any charms started that you could tell yourself you should be working on!

No, your time is well and truly your own. You do not even have your friends and companions here to focus on. The only people you already know here in Mockingjay are those that walked through the brass gates with you, and neither of them are anywhere to be seen. Zhuan Kun apparently left the inn long before you even woke, stopping only to get directions to the closest School. And as for Mei Daiyu, when you speak to the innkeeper, she barely recalls your other teammate. From the sounds of things, she was out the door before even Zhuan Kun and left no clue to her destination.

You briefly consider seeking out one or both of your traveling partners but dismiss the idea before you've finished your second glass of juice. If Mei Daiyu or Zhuan Kun desired your company, neither of them would have had any trouble asking for it- were they Mei Daiyu- or demanding it- if they were Zhuan Kun. So that leaves you alone, with nothing guiding your steps today- which, now that you think about it, is frankly a terrifying concept.

Since you came to the Delving Heart- no, even before that! Since you began your training in the Kong Family Style, the days where you have had absolutely no demands upon your time have been few and far between. You always had jewelcarving to practice, or you had sigil diagrams to learn, or you had melting points to memorize again and again. And in the Heart, things have only gotten more tightly regimented. There's always another challenge for you to tackle, some rival that must be put down, some technique you must practice.

Not having any of those things to guide you leaves you sitting in the inn's common room, slowly sipping juice, as you fight to keep your mind from spinning. You feel much like a rudderless boat; perfectly capable of floating, but entirely bereft of anything helping you navigate the waters.

Should you go back to the Estate and begin a new design? No! You can do that any time, and you will only be in Mockingjay this once for the foreseeable future! Ignoring the outside to focus on your designs sounds like something that Auntie Bi would find shameful- and you've no doubt she would discover your actions and punish you for them. Maybe you should venture into the city and cycle at a public Natural Wonder instead? Or perhaps you could spend several of these suddenly terrifying hours just wandering through the streets? That sounds like as good an idea as any you've had!

No, no, no! You discard all the half-formed plans that had begun whirling in your mind. You cannot just waste this unexpected boon! You should… you should be productive with it! Somehow! You should be productive with it in a way that is unique to Mockingjay! That way, you'll be safe from Auntie Bi's punishment and your own internal chastisement at the same time!

But… how precisely can you do that? Mockingjay is not exactly known for its abundance of interesting crafting techniques! No one states a desire for Mockingjay leather or cloth the way they cry out for weapons from Jingyi's Summit or carpentry from Fading Needle. And their martial schools, while numerous, are no better. Some may have unique training methods or cycling techniques, but none are exactly shouted about from the rooftops. The only thing that seems like it would be both productive and unique would be spending time in the Forest of Pearls- and you've done quite enough of that for now!

Just as you're preparing to make your mental scream verbal, an idea strikes you like a bolt of lightning: the Archives!

Like all grand cities of the Radiant Empire, Mockingjay has its own repository of tomes. It's not a patch on the Delving Heart's grand spire of lore, but it is still the central hub for an entire region's knowledge. And while each city may have one, no two are the same. There are things buried in Mockingjay's Archives that you're certain are unheard of outside its walls! That makes it a place you could go that's both unique to the city and is a productive use of your time!

You rise to your feet and sprint from the Moonlit Conquest as fast as you can. You need to surround yourself with scrolls and volumes as quickly as possible lest your panicking mind change course once more.

The Mockingjay Archives, as it turns out, are kept in a large, three story building near the very center of the city. The dark wood facade seems to sag with the weight of years and the brass and bronze outlining the doors and windows is dull and obscured with tarnish. A small, carefully manicured grove of trees lines it's borders, and even that looks to be practically dilapidated with bare branches and mournful trunks.

Honestly, compared to the Delving Heart Archives, the Mockingjay ones fail to impress. But then again, not every repository of knowledge can be stored within an enormous spire of stone. Still, you did not expect any grand archive to seem so mundane. Knowledge lives within these walls, after all! Even if it's not guarded by illusionary guardians and plumes of fire, the Archive should have more grandeur than an old warehouse.

But if the Archive is naught but a warehouse, it still contains the most precious cargo of all. Thousands upon thousands of tomes and scrolls greet you as you walk inside. You nearly stagger as the familiar scent of musty paper smacks you in the face like a physical force, and you find yourself paralyzed as you glance from shelf to crammed shelf.

Once you recover your faculties, you allow yourself a long breath as a smile steals its way across your face. Surrounded by a small country's worth of knowledge, tension eases from your shoulders and you stand up just a bit straighter. The hard part is dealt with- you've made it to the Archives.

Now all that's left is deciding where to start.

You've entered the vast repository of knowledge known as the Mockingjay Archives. After accosting an Archivist to help you make sense of their organization, you've been appraised of the different sections- and the costs associated with accessing them. What do you decide to research?
[] You will stick with the general stacks. They may not contain the most earth-shaking information, but great value can still be found in the mundane. (Cost: Free. Benefit: +1 to two different random knowledge skills. Roll 1d20: nat 20 discovers a misfiled technique.)
[] There are several volumes of primers meant for neophyte Servants. They are supposed to help ground new walkers of the Path, but you can use their insights to further refine your breathing technique. (Cost: 2 Bronze Talents. Benefit: +1 Knowledge (Cultivation). Procs a follow-up vote to select Breathing Technique Refinements.)
[] Mockingjay's Archives have no shortage of minor techniques that are tested and true. You will use this opportunity to fill a void in your arsenal. (Cost: 5 Bronze Talents. Benefit: Gain a Grade Two technique. Procs a follow-up vote to select Type and Aspect (Limited to the Basic Eight).)
[] Of course, you do not have to spend time discovering the hidden knowledge of Mockingjay yourself! They have several Archivists on staff who are here just to help people seek what they need. But they don't work for money. No, they only take other knowledge in trade. (Cost: A record of Blooming Spear of the Auroch. Benefit: Gain a Grade Two technique of a randomly chosen uncommon aspect.)
[] You have more techniques for trade than just your Auroch's Spear, though- some truly rare ones from either your family or your Master. And while they might not be entirely pleased with their knowledge being shared, how much could they truly object to you taking this opportunity to grow? (Cost: A record of Elegant Plume or Stallion's Enclosed Garden, as determined by follow up vote. Benefit: Gain a Grade Three technique. Procs a follow-up vote to select Aspect and Type.)
[] The Archivists keep the truly rare gems to themselves. For one of those to fall into your hands you will have to show them something that will rock their foundations. (Cost: A record of Shatter the Mirror. Benefit: Gain randomly aspected Grade Four technique.)