Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

It had not been a prank, bizarre or no.

The strange mortal's indignation was clear and honest, when the Sun trash had insulted and belittled her. Was it a plot perhaps, to solidify the girl's cover? Her instincts and education told her such was certainly the case.

But Ling Qi was a mortal. Who used a mortal for such things? She could very nearly see every thought as it formed behind the girl's eyes. Supposing additional factors, hidden cultivation or hypnotically implanted triggers rapidly spiraled beyond the resources that could possibly be assigned to a childish prank, even for the most wasteful and decadent of young masters, even ignoring that such things would rapidly rise beyond the allowances of even these shams which the throne called Great Sects.

As if it were a mere stamp on the page which could make a Sect great. There were Sects in the northern fens older than some provinces dynasties. This one at least had a concrete claim to fame and status in its founder, even if his deeds were only necessary due to the eye watering negligence of this province's previous rulers.

Here Ling Qi came trudging back, clenching her fist. It was strange, mortals generally knew their place, didn't they? It would be one thing if she had just been jeered at by a peer, but Sun Liling… little as she would like to admit it, was so far above, beyond her capacity for vengeance, that it was absurd of her to contemplate a grudge. A mortal might as well be upset at a mountain or the moon.

She supposed the girl did have cultivation talent though, perhaps she thought she would be able to rise that high? Such ambition was a good start. "Are you well?" Bai Meizhen asked.

"Really cousin?" Cui grumbled.

Ling Qi mastered herself quickly enough, hiding the most obvious tells of her emotions. "I'm fine. What kind of residence do you want to take?"

She considered for a long moment, whether she should advise the mortal further on the fruitlessness of being angry at a Princess, but elected against it. "I have no interest in the manors. A small structure which has two separate bed chambers would be the best. I have no use for luxury."

No good had come from decadence. Though they would never say it to a foreigner, there was an understanding that the Bai had allowed the youth to become too feckless and immersed in luxury, this was one of the causes of the Sun. Thus, her generation would be raised better. If the girl was merely hunting for luxury, this would…

"That sounds great," Ling Qi said, looking out over the homes as they came into view. "Like those ones near the storehouse in the middle ring?"

Bai Meizhen blinked slowly, looking down the line pointed by the girl's rudely outstretched finger. That was… a hovel. Certainly at the upper ranges of 'hovel', and above the outright insulting little huts on the outer edge, which likely existed only to punish the weak and un-driven. She would have chosen one of the small homes two streets further in toward the center of the housing district.

…How could she say anything without looking like a fool?

"That will do," Bai Meizhen said calmly. Not a wealth parasite either..

"I'd rather not attract any more eyes, and it still looks pretty comfortable, huh? I don't even know what I'd do with one of those big houses, let alone a manor."

"...Indeed. Such fruitless luxury does not befit those forming the foundations of their cultivation."

Mortals were bizarre.

She had been slightly unprepared for just how bare the hovel would be. She was used to doing without decor of course, but having to fetch her own kitchen accouterments like a servant was simply excessive. Still, it allowed her to continue observing Ling Qi as they performed these base chores to make their housing livable. She was unprepared for the way the girl stood there seemingly stupefied as they entered the food storage.

Bai Meizhen stared at the shelves filled with sacks of rice, with preserved meats and fresh, with bread and fish, all kept in their freshest state by common formations worked into the plain carvings of the shelves. It was rather lacking all told. No spices, only the most common blends of tea, the meats were mere mortal stuff, bland and tasteless. She glanced at Ling Qi's open mouth and staring eyes, mystified.

Ling Qi shook herself, and her eyes darted around. "Ah, where do you think we can find the limit on what we can take?"

"Why would there be a limit on what we could take?" Bai Meizhen asked.

"Honestly, even this awful place would not insult its guests so badly. Foolish girl," Cui whispered haughtily.

"I…" Ling Qi shook herself. "Right this will be refilled, regularly."

"Of course, providing this trifle every day is nothing," Bai Meizhen's eyebrows drew together. The girl was… awfully thin, she supposed. Mortals needed more food didn't they. "There is no need to take more than we need for the evening, I do not believe it is ever closed."
There were no preserving formations in the hovel after all.

Soon though the sun was descending and they were ensconced in their home, the kitchen stocked and light furnishings were placed. They had a fire burning in the hearth, and Bai Meizhen was brewing her tea in the plain pot they had been given. Thankfully her favorite was not one of the more acidic blends, being merely a minor child's cultivation aid meant to focus the mind.

It was… cozy she supposed. She could simply slip into half meditation here, and even Ling Qi was calm and still now, pouring over the scroll of their gifted cultivation art.

The Argent Soul was useful, even for her, she intended to master it in the coming months, but she had time. She supposed Ling Qi's situation was rather more urgent.

Yes, she supposed if they could have quiet like this, it was not such a bad arrangement.

"Bai Meizhen, do you know what this part means?"

The words snapped her out of contemplation, and her eyes flicked up toward the scroll Ling Qi had pushed toward her. She felt a very minor irritation. Mortal, she had to remember. "It is describing the state of mind one must reach to begin absorbing spiritual energy into one's dantian."

Incomprehension on the girl's face. Really if they were going to induct so many commoners one would think a simple child's primer could be provided. "It is the first step in the simple exercises for the first stage of the technique, once you have mastered the first breathing method."

"What is a dantian exactly?"

She explained, still slightly disbelieving. She supposed it was to be expected of imperial work to not explain even this. However the girl's next question had her shaking her head. Honestly, that was a subject better left to an actual tutor, and her tea was beginning to steam.

"Give me your hand," She said brusquely. If Ling Qi lacked even a child's knowledge then a child's awakening would be better. Besides, a modern cultivator hardly needed all of that jargon to get started, even if it was useful at later stages.

"Why?" Ling Qi's suspicion was good. She was ignorant, but not stupid.

"I will inject a spark of Qi into you. It will hurt, but it will allow you to feel your dantian until it fades. You will need to practice in the future to avoid the need for such crutches though."

"How much pain are we talking about?"

"My Aunt did it for me when I was eight," Bai Meizhen replied. To awaken that early it was needed. Despite the insistence of some truly foolish people a child could not actually comprehend the mysteries of cultivation at that age. Thus crutches like these to at least allow them to stimulate their bodies and minds with qi were acceptable."It should be no trouble for you."

She recalled it as less bad than an accident in a toxin handling lesson, or the feeling of a switch being applied for inattention in their reading lessons.

Ling Qi evidently did not fully prepare herself for it, hunching over and wheezing like she had been struck when Bai Meizhen performed the injection.

"That was more than painful," Ling Qi accused.

Bai Meizhen sighed, even as she confirmed that it had worked, receiving a grudging affirmative… had she overestimated her? Despite her ignorance, she had thought the mortal showed some promise.

No, that was unfair of her. Idly she poured the girl a cup of tea. It had likely been a long day for her as well. A commoner could not be expected to be an equal of the Bai.

"You should drink your tea, then meditate while it lasts," Bai Meizhen said evenly. "Otherwise it will have been for nothing."

Yes, that look in her eye was proper for a cultivator at least. This would get her on her way. Then she would be properly thankful.