The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)

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The crab stands frozen in place for a long moment, one claw outstretched as it beckons us closer. When we all simply stare at it with varying degrees of surprise and exasperation on our faces, it changes tactics. Its other claw rises and its stance shifts in a fluid gesture. Its carapace seems to bristle with barely restrained energy. Only the crab's raw discipline keeps it from unleashing its bestial fury.

It practically vibrates in place from its sheer need for combat. But the only true motion that it makes is in its claws, which begin to sway back and forth like leaves in the wind. It is a dam about to burst, a wave poised to break upon the shore, raw energy just waiting to be used. It wants to exchange pointers, and it will not be denied.

There is only one possible answer that can be given to such a challenge.

I look to our noble companion. "Zhuan Kun?" I ask, bemusement clear in my voice. "Would you care to exchange pointers with this… determined warrior?"

To no one's surprise, it is as if Zhuan Kun was only waiting for the request to be made. "Of course," he says promptly, sliding from his mount's saddle. "Please be patient. This may take longer than usual. It has been over two years since the last time I faced a similar foe; I will have to relearn how to properly read their body language."

As we all struggle to decide how to react to that statement, the noble turns to face the crab directly. "And you!" he intones, staring at the crustacean's beady eyestalks. "I hope you can present a greater challenge than your predecessor, else you will find this a short bout!"

Bubbles froth at the crab's mouth as its eyes lock squarely on to Zhuan Kun. The noble and the crab stare each other down for an endless moment- before they both move. A crash reverberates through the world like a gong has been struck a mighty blow as Zhuan Kun's fist collides with the crab's claw. Daiyu's hair streams backwards as wind erupts from the blow, sending a concussive burst cascading across the road and into the sea.

The two combatants have not taken their eyes off of each other. Nor do they move; they simply stand, fist and claw outstretched, as they get each other's measure. Finally, the noble honors the crab with a shallow nod, one which the crab dips its whole body to echo.

With the sound of skittering feet and a cloud of sand, the battle is rejoined. As the exchange of pointers unfolds, Daiyu turns to me, expression carefully blank. "Was I perhaps mishearing things, or did Zhuan Kun imply that this is not the first crab he has done battle with?"

I turn to her, deadpan. "He did, yes," I agree. "Is… that unusual?"

Daiyu studies me carefully, amethyst eyes narrow as she scans my face. "Zhi," she says, voice measured and calm. "Have you fought a crab before?"

I cock my head to the side, bemusement on my face as memories of the bone-white shell of the Winter Crab flash before my eyes. "I… yes, I have. Fa and I found a Vestige that wore the guise of one when we were seeking the keys to a…" I trail off as Daiyu's expression grows more and more incredulous. "...what? It was a simple Vestige crab! It is hardly out of the ordinary!"

"Zhi? How many vestiges do you think…" Daiyu's brow furrows and she reaches up, pinching the bridge of her nose as she closes her eyes. She sits motionless for a long moment. The only sounds are those of Zhuan Kun's fierce combat as he barks pointers to the crab even as he sends it skipping across the sand like a rock across a pond.

Eventually, Daiyu opens her eyes once more. They flick from me to Zhuan Kun to Clerk Ni, who has dismissed this entire scene from his mind as he returns to his maps, before finally turning to the heavens above. She stares up at the sky as if pondering the deep fundamental nature of the universe, mouth moving soundlessly until finally, she slumps. "Of course," she says, voice painfully neutral. "Nothing out of the ordinary at all."

She turns a blank face back to the fight. I follow her gaze just in time to see Zhuan Kun bob to the side, emulating the crab's scuttling movement, before leaping into the air. For a fraction of an instant it seems as if he may never descend, and instead spend the rest of his life silhouetted against the horizon. But he falls as fast as he rose, landing squarely on the crab's outstretched claw and perching atop it like a bird upon a branch.

The crustacean doesn't seem to know what to do with the noble standing on top of its primary weapon. It shakes its claw violently, trying to send Zhuan Kun flying into the air, only for the noble to easily keep his balance. As the claw swings, Zhuan Kun sways with it, twisting until he is standing on his hands with his feet straight up in the air.

Ancestors above, I swear the crab's eyestalks widen in fury. It lets out a gurgling war cry and raises its claw, ready to hammer it and Zhuan Kun into the sand below.

But that's exactly what Zhuan Kun was waiting for.

The noble moves so quickly that I only realize what he did after the fight was already over. He hooks his fingers around the craw and drops, using the crab itself as the center of his rotation as he flips underneath the claw like an ape swinging from a tree. Zhuan Kun's feet rise in a powerful kick- and the sound of cracking chitin is his reward.

The crab stumbles back from Zhuan Kun, claws raised in a desperate defense as it struggles to find its bearings. But the noble makes no move to press his advantage. Instead he crosses his arms and gives the crab one sharp nod. "Acceptable," he declares.

The crab staggers to its… does it have feet? Even Quishu has her strange pads, but the crab has only sharp pointed legs that dig into the earth as it pulls itself back up. As it returns to a vertical base, it turns its dazed gaze back to Zhuan Kun, who takes the attention as an opportunity to analyze the spar. "Your bodily strength is most impressive for a creature of your advancement," he says. "And your speed is adequate. Your troubles do not lie in your physical capabilities."

There is a moment of silence broken only by a faint mumble from Daiyu. If I strain my ears, I can just barely make out her murmur of, "...did I become the ordinary one? How did this happen? Is this…"

Zhuan Kun either cannot hear Daiyu, does not care for her dazed mumbles, or both. "Your greatest flaw is your flexibility," he states to the crab.

In answer, the shelled warrior lifts one claw and lightly knocks on its own carapace. Zhuan Kun shakes his head. "No, not like that. Your body's ability to maneuver is at the upper end of what one could expect from a warrior of your build. I speak of your mental flexibility. Tell me, before today, when was the last time you fought a foe that truly challenged you?"

The crab is silent save for a froth of bubbles spouting from its maw. Zhuan Kun nods as if he has been answered. "Exactly," he says. "You have gone so long between challenges that you have allowed your ways of thinking to stagnate. Predictability has crept into your movements, and you act according to a routine that only you follow."

"If you take one thing from this exchange, let it be this," Zhuan Kun declares. "Test yourself. Find a challenge beyond you and test yourself against it until either it yields or your body breaks- and such challenges will not find you here on your beach. If you truly wish to become the best version of yourself, you will need to leave and seek out situations that truly test you."

The noble's latest opponent seems to mull over his words. It stands frozen in place for a dozen heartbeats before lifting its claw and staring down at it, looking for all the world as if it has never truly seen its own limb before. Suddenly, it is in motion, scuttling away from Zhuan Kun and back towards the beach.

As the sound of a dozen footsteps fades in the distance, Clerk Ni lets his map roll up with the sound of fluttering paper. "Are we finished with this latest escapade?" he sighs. "Or can we-"

The Clerk's words die as Zhuan Kun raises a hand. "We are not finished yet," the noble answers simply.

Sure enough, the scuttling sound returns, and the crab races back towards us as quickly as its too-many legs can carry it. This time, though, it is not clad only in its carapace. A small bundle of weathered, checkered cloth hangs from its back, carrying what one can only assume are the essentials that all crabs must have when beginning a martial pilgrimage. It skids to a halt in front of Zhuan Kun, a fresh froth already building at its maw.

The crab lets out an odd, throaty noise that makes Clerk Ni shiver and sends the hair on my neck standing straight up. Zhuan Kun shows no reaction. Instead, the noble reaches up and strokes its chin. "Oh?" he asks, voice contemplative. "That is bold of you, shelled one. I don't hate it."

Another series of those horrible throaty noises echo from the crab's carapace. It ends by pointing its claw at Zhuan Kun once again, jagged edges quivering as it stares down the superior foe. The crab holds its pose just long enough for a wave to crash to shore behind it before turning and scuttling away into the grasses of the White Daylight Fields.

Zhuan Kun stares after it. "...a noble resolve," he eventually states to the open air. "I will remember you, warrior. May you prove a more worthy foe in our next encounter." His words hang heavy over the road, and his eyes never stray from the trail of broken grass the crab has left in its wake. If anyone were to come down the road, they would wonder if Zhuan Kun were real or a masterfully crafted sculpture of a warrior pondering his future battles.

He stares after the crab for several minutes, and likely would for several more if he were not interrupted by Daiyu throwing her hands up and yelling "What just happened here?!" to the sky.

Thankfully, the noble takes no issue with Daiyu's lack of decorum. "Our martial rival has taken my advice," he states instead, answering as if Daiyu's question was an earnest request for information instead of the rather rude exclamation it truly was. "It has gone to seek greater challenges in the White Daylight Fields and beyond. Perhaps, with the favor of the heavens, it will grow to have power equaling its spirit. I wish it that good fortune."

Daiyu's mouth moves soundlessly and she slowly turns to look at me. I cannot say I am sure why she seems so incredulous; it all seems fairly self-evident. Whatever she sees in my face just has her eyes grow even wider, and she turns to the Clerk. There, at least, she finds a kindred spirit.

"Oh," Zhuan Kun adds, shaking his head as if just remembering something. "Our martial rival also was in possession of a small reserve of items gifted to it by the sea. We are welcome to take our pick from what it has left behind in its den; it deemed anything that remained unnecessary for the journey ahead."

I had not thought it possible for Daiyu's eyes to grow any wider. I was wrong.

"Zhuan Kun," she murmurs, voice painfully level. "How do you… did… did you understand the crab? Was it speaking in some language only comprehensible by…" She waves her hand at the torn up sand where Zhuan Kun and the crab did battle, as if encompassing the entire exchange.

The noble only crosses his arms and frowns at Daiyu. "Why would it have needed to speak?" he asks, seeming for all the world to be honestly curious. "True warriors can communicate with only their fists."

Daiyu just stares at Zhuan Kun- before slumping in her saddle. "I… don't know what I even expected," she mumbles. "Let's… let's just go search the crab's stuff."

She turns Sunswift to follow Zhuan Kun, who has already begun marching towards the beach where he will doubtlessly lead us right to the crab's den. Before she can move too far, I guide Quishu after her with my knees, one hand leading Zhuan Kun's mare and the other sliding into Daiyu's.

My partner slows a hair and glances over at me. I meet her weary look with a smile. "Come now, Daiyu," I say, squeezing her hand gently. "Perhaps the crab may not have been the most… traditional of disciples, but even you must admit that it had spirit. Perhaps when it returns to challenge Zhuan Kun, you can exchange pointers with it yourself."

Her grip tightens on mine even as she shakes her head. "Do not even start with me now, Kong Zhi," she grumbles.

"Daiyu," I chide her, unconsciously leaning over slightly to let my shoulder brush against hers. "I will admit, perhaps Brother Crab may not be the most traditional of sparring partners. But does it truly surprise you that we would encounter such an opponent? It is not even among the ten most unusual things I've encountered since coming to the Heart."

Daiyu rolls her eyes, but a small smile grows on her face. "That surprises me less than it should," she muses.

I shake my head. "Come now, are you truly telling me that Brother Crab is the most outlandish encounter you've had in your life?" I ask with a chuckle. "I've not traveled the same tunnels you have. Yet I would hazard a guess that if you came across it back at the sect, you would have already seen three things, each more unbelievable than the last, that would have banished it from your thoughts utterly."

There's a moment's pause as a half-remembered line from a certain play goes through my mind. "And if your own journey through the tunnels has truly been so bereft of extraordinary sights, I could assist you in finding some. With instructions. And a map. And perhaps they will pass-"

There is a slight pressure on my cheek as Daiyu presses a kiss against it. She leans back, a broad genuine smile on her face as she flushes. I chuckle, the sound more a reflex than anything else as I meet Daiyu's eyes. "What was that for?" I cannot help but ask reflexively.

Daiyu's answer is a slight shrug. "I wanted to, and I could, so I did," is her answer before she arches an eyebrow. "Unless you have some objection?"

My hurried denials fill the air, joining Daiyu's laughter as we follow after Zhuan Kun. Sure enough, the noble leads us unerringly towards a small burrow dug in the side of a dune. Were it not for the hundreds of large, crab-shaped footprints dotting the sand around it, it could almost be inconspicuous. As it is now, though, it is clear that this is the crab's den that Zhuan Kun spoke of.

The noble marches directly towards the hole and hops in without pause. I trade a glance with Daiyu who reaches out and takes the reins for both Quishu and Zhuan Kun's mount. "I've no need to see Brother Crab's home," she says with a chuckle. "You go ahead. I'll stay here and mind the beasts."

Beneath me, Quishu lets out a soft bray of displeasure, if one unaccompanied by her usual attempted mauling. I idly scratch her between the horns and hop down. "She seems mostly calm," I tell Daiyu as I move towards the burrow. "Though I'm not sure how she'll tolerate sand, so stay vigilant."

Daiyu nods and I turn towards the burrow. As I move into the hole, I hear Daiyu saying, "You seem oddly at peace with this detour, Clerk. Have you no objections?"

"If I did, would it matter?" Clerk Ni answers. Despite his words, his tone is practically chipper. "Besides, this is actually on the way to our next stop."

"Really?" Daiyu asks. "I consulted the maps before we left the Summit. Is the next village not a few hours further south?"

"That is what I thought as well!" the Clerk answers, brightening even further. "But upon closer study of this census from two decades past, you can see-" The rest of his words are cut off as I reach the burrow and duck into it, joining Zhuan Kun as he surveys the crab's home.

It is… it is certainly the Crab's home.

I had expected nothing much. Perhaps the crab's burrow would be a small hole dug into the sand, or at best the entrance to a hidden cave. Instead, what I find is a large, circular chamber painstaking dug into the shifting sands. The ground has been trampled so thoroughly that it's been packed into near stone, and the walls are supported by roughly cut pieces of driftwood and large shells scavenged from the tides.

Zhuan Kun nods approvingly as he looks around the mostly barren burrow. "Its home is suitably austere," he intones. "Truly, it focused on nothing but improving itself. That warrior is one for others to pattern themselves after. Perhaps it truly will return to challenge me again."

I can only nod as I turn my focus to the small collection of belongings dotting the sandy floor. The crab did seem to live a life akin to a monks, with very little in the way of material possessions to disturb its focus. Still, there are a few things that catch the eye- and while I've no desire to fill the Estate with clutter, I can certainly take at least one thing.

Kong Zhi and Zhuan Kun have been given permission to scavenge the belongings of Zhuan Kun's martial rival, Brother Crab. Zhuan Kun will be taking the lion's share, as he was the one actually given Brother Crab's blessing, but Kong Zhi can still take one thing of his choice. What does he select?
[] The Crab has left behind a pair of molts, leaving two fully intact shells that would be useful in any number of projects. (Charmcrafting Material, Ocean 6)
[] A small stack of driftwood that looks to have once been destined to be more wall supports. It is all untrimmed, leaving it in interesting shapes that could be fun to work with. (Charmcrafting material, Salt 9)
[] A worn purse lies near the edge of the chamber half covered by sand. The coins within are old and worn, and likely will be a challenge to spend, but money is still money. (4 Bronze Talents)