Chapter 004

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‘ ‘ for thoughts.

“ “ for speech.

<> for non-verbal communication like telepathy

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Warning: May contain mature content (18+) of an adult nature. Read at your own risk.

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After an hour or so of flying with the Jade Pagoda disciples, Fang Hao was hungry. His last meal was more than half a day ago. He tried to distract himself by looking at the scenery below, but everything was a blur. Strangely though, he didn’t feel biting winds but a comfortable breeze. Looking towards the western horizon, he estimated dusk was a couple of hours ago. ‘Damn I am a gluttonous fat fuck now. Who would guess that there was a time in my previous life where I would go hungry for days in foster home? And just missing lunch is making me famished.’ thought Fang Hao.

In the distance a humongous mountain whose peak was above the clouds came into their vision. The mountain was carpeted with forests, and the peak had pierced the clouds. The surrounding “mountains” looked like molehills compared to the obscenely large mountain. The lotus leaf travelled higher and higher as it approached the colossal mountain. He noticed that the cultivators, as if with prior agreement, flicked their sleeves and swallowed some pills.

They began to make hand gestures in unison and started audibly chanting and soon, a green glow emanated from the lotus leaf. It appeared that the leaf had slowed down, but the scenery around them distorted rapidly. In what seemed like moments, they had appeared on a large plateau covered with grass. There were around a half a dozen similar lotus leaves each with around 80-90 prospective disciples.

In the distance, they could see a series of hills and mountains. Some were forested, while some had terraces on their slope. Some were completely bare of vegetation and filled with caves and looked like a mountain shaped honeycomb. Many had smoke and fumes of various colors emanating from them.

The mountains got larger with the distance, and in the distance there was a dull azure pagoda watching over all the mountains! Even though the azure pagoda looked like it was in disrepair, it had a dominating presence. He was jolted alert when one of the cultivators escorted them instructed them to follow. The giant lotus leaf they had ridden shrunk and floated into the distance.

After walking for almost a quarter of an hour, their group reached the foot of a small hill. One of the cultivators who had escorted them ordered the soon-to-be janitorial disciples to follow him and they started following the cultivators. Only around 30 or so prospective outer disciples were left along with the skinny girl who was closely following the shrew faced female cultivator.

While they were walking, Fang Hao respectfully inquired, “Senior Fatty Chen, where exactly is the sect located? Before we arrived here, I could only see the colossal mountain fill my vision.” Senior Fatty Chen had a smug look on his face as he said a bit loudly, “Junior Fatty Hao, our glorious Jade Pagoda sect is located on the Celestial’s Abode. The Celestial Abode’s is precisely the plateau at the top of the Heavenly Jade Mountain you saw before.”

Fang Hao drew in a sharp surprised breath and the other disciples near him were astonished too. ‘How large is the freaking mountain, that its peak can hold entire mountain ranges? Fuck these “mountains” are probably less than pimples on the colossal mountain.’ Soon, when it was almost dusk, they reached another mountain. All the prospective outer disciples were instructed to follow Fatty and another couple of seniors as they headed up the winding path. Only the skinny young girl proceeded forward with the shrew faced female inner disciple.

Soon they reached a mansion. Senior Fatty Chen informed them that this was the Outer Assignment Hall they were assigned to. They will be living their lives on this peak for the most part; eating, sleeping, working and cultivating until they can be promoted to inner disciples. The inner disciples led the prospective outer disciples to a large hall. A tired looking old man glared at Fatty Chen, and said curtly ”You are late Fatty Chen. Couldn’t you leave this little shits here, a bit earlier?’

Senior Fatty Chen smiled and replied “You must be joking Old man Zhu, I brought them as fast as my fat body could manage to. Take care of these fatties for me now and explain the ropes, and I will drop by later.” Many of the prospective outer sect disciples were frustrated in their hearts, though they dare not show it. Take care of the fatties? What are the others like themselves, useless trash?

Old man Zhu snorted and flicked his sleeves. Suddenly, a pile of around thirty half-filled jute sacks appeared. “Each of you grab a sack from that pile. It contains a few sets of robes, which you have to wear at all times while on this mountain. It also contains a list of rules, a map of this hill with the essentials and the first three layers of a Qi gathering manual.” He said in a flat tone.

“Read them in detail and commit them to memory, but mainly it boils down to the following:

Be Loyal to the sect and never leak any of the cultivation, spell, and technique scriptures you obtain without authorization.

Don’t kill or permanently cripple your fellow disciples outside the arena, and don’t intrude into their dwellings without permission.

Complete your obligations to the sect. For outer disciples like you, it is mostly fulfilling a weekly or monthly quota.”

“There will be two meals daily in the dining hall, at sunrise and sunset. You will also get three lowest grade fasting pills at the end of each week if you complete your chores satisfactorily. Each pill is enough to satiate your hunger for a whole day. Even if they are the trashiest recovery pill available, don’t look down on them, as they will be of immense help for mortals like you to cultivate continuously for a period of time and break through layers of Qi gathering stage. Each sac contains three fasting pills for this week. Your assignment and selection of chores will be in a week from now. Now I will lead you to the dining hall for today’s meal, and have someone guide you to your dwellings after it.”