Mei-Ling

There was a flash of light, and I found myself alone in the clearing with only the Honored elder who watched me impassively for a long moment before lowering herself to the ground. "Sect leader asked me to give you these items. One is a talisman. You are to give this item to the young Liu when you catch up to him. The second is a storage ring. This holds any provisions you should need for the trip. If not, there is some currency as well... You have disappointed me greatly, my daughter. Never let yourself be used by others again; think before every action question everyone, and you will survive longer in this world. Surely you have realized by now that the older Liu boy used you to remove a perceived threat to his position in his clan."

I lowered my head, not wanting Mother to see my tears. She is right now that I think about it. This was obviously a setup. Whoever heard of a person in the third stage of Zhugi (Establishing Foundation) falling ill except in the unlikely chance of Qi deviation? I felt Mother wrap her arms around me, pulling me into her embrace as she spoke softly. "Perhaps your Father and I sheltered you too much." With a sigh, she pulled me in tighter. "In normal circumstances, we would have given you each a slap on the wrist. Well, except for the older Liu boy, he would have been expelled no matter what for taking young Liu's arm without first bringing accusations against him before an elder. But, these are troubled times, and we can't afford to keep those who would turn their back on a brother or sister for no other reason than because they perceive them as weak. Your group will be used as an example to set the other disciples on a proper path, and the Sect Leader will call in a Truth Seeker from the Imperial Capital branch to investigate how deep the corruption goes in our ranks."

Jerking my head up, I stared in worry and horror at her words. Then, while trying to stop tears, I asked Mother. "Will you and Father be alright? I heard that the last time Truth Seekers came to our branch, it was a bloodbath. Even the Sect Leader of the time was killed during the investigations."

Mother's response was to touch the end of my nose and give me a warm smile. "Silly girl, your Father, I, along with Sect Leader and most of the elders, are honest people, plus this time, we're calling them ourselves. Last time our branch was on the verge of turning into a dark sect; if not for a small team of young disciples carrying a missive through many dangers to the main branch, The Emperor would have destroyed our Shattering Sky sect long ago."

Standing straight, Mother reached around my head, tying the cord with the storage ring and tiny tube holding the talisman around my neck. "The way I see it, you have several choices after you deliver the talisman to young Liu. First, and I don't recommend it, you can become a wandering cultivator. However, they are not looked upon kindly. Second, use the funds in the ring to buy a place in a clan again not really recommended as you will never truly be one of them. And third, find yourself a husband, settle down, raise a family... Whatever you decide, remember to write to your Father and me as often as possible. Now off you get the trail is getting cold." She wrapped her arms around me one more time resting her forehead against mine. Then, with a sigh, Mother let go and pushed me toward the direction Liu had walked.

Following the trail was easier than I expected. The grass was greener, and the trees had a kind of shimmer about them that gave the path a magical feel. I often found forest animals lying in the tall grass, and instead of running at my approach, many, watched giving what I swear was a small bow when I passed. This is actually really weird; not wanting to be rude, I did the same in return. Once a fawn walked right to my hand and began eating a small handful of oats I was planning to make into my breakfast.

Two weeks into the trek, it dawned on me after much thought. Liu must be pumping every drop of Qi he gathers into the land around him. This is so wasteful. No wonder he is so far behind in his cultivation. I tried once to do the same but on a much smaller scale, except the grass in a six-yard radius turned black before disintegrating into ash. After further experiments, I had a whole new respect for Liu. I found that if I pushed too much into a plant, it would shrivel and die, too little, and the same would happen. So I have to use the exact right amount for each plant, and Liu does this while walking. I wasn't sure how I knew this; I just did. When I ran across his resting spots, The amount of beauty nearly floored me every time. I almost wanted to stop my journey and live my life in those glades.

By the time I exited the forest onto the provincial trade route, I was shocked that I had not caught up. Liu had to have been foraging for food and water while I had everything I needed in the storage ring around my neck. I ran a hand over the rope belt at my waist that older Liu took from Liu, and my face flushed with shame at the memory. Then, turning left and right, I began searching for a clue to which direction he went. Not finding anything, I began to get annoyed. Only one choice I will take a direction at random, and if I don't spot anything in a day or two, I will turn toward the other.

It was only a couple of hours later that I saw a coach coming my way from ahead. I hurried my steps slightly, not too much. I didn't want them to think I am attacking. When we intersected, I hollered at the balding man at the reins. "Excuse me; sir, have you perchance seen a young boy slightly taller than myself with brown eyes and a spattering of freckles on his nose?" When did I even notice these details anyway? "Ah, he is also missing his left arm at the shoulder," I added with a slightly flushed face.

A chuckle from a woman inside the carriage caught my attention, and I flushed deeper. The balding man also chuckled before he spoke. "Sorry Miss we didn't pass your boyfriend if he is on the road heading north then he is invisible to me." At his words, my face brightened. This meant I hadn't wasted too much time going the wrong way. I quickly thanked the man before turning around heading back the way I came. Moments later, the coach passed me by the balding man shaking his head in bemusement. As the coach passed, I saw a tiny face watching me from inside until the curtain was jerked closed.

It was a couple of hours past nightfall when I caught sight of the same coach pulled onto the side of the road. The old man had stopped at a rest stop that tired travelers can find along almost every main road in the Empire. There is a small camping area with several stone rings for cook fires and several places to tie off mounts along the far edge. I glance toward the single campfire as I walked past, spotting the old man sitting alone by the fire. I planned to keep going as I was not feeling exhausted when I noticed the old man looking my way. I nodded and waved, but as I was about to turn my attention back to my front, the old man waved me to join him.

Curious what the old man might want, I decided it was as good a place as any to rest, and I walked toward his fire. When I passed the coach, I noticed a woman dressed in a green robe with her face covered with a veil bent over studying something on the ground. The old man had turned back to the fire poking at it absently with a stick. I sat down across from the man and closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of wind passing through the trees and the chatter of nighttime insects. Eventually, I was taken from my meditations by the arrival of the veiled woman who sat down near the old man. In her hands, a single blade of grass that had a slight glow of Qi rested. I smailed at it then tried to return to my meditation.

I was once again interrupted, this time by the woman's slightly husky voice. I could also hear a western accent marking her as a foreigner from outside the Empire. Not uncommon, especially out here on the western fringe. A couple of decades ago, thousands of refugees from the western Empire poured into these lands running from a family of dragons that took a liking to their home. They mostly keep to themselves and prefer to trade caravans or operate businesses near larger towns. "You do not seem surprised to see a blade of high-grade spirit grass out on the side of this trade route. Interestingly, you do not seem like some ancient cultivator to look down her nose at such trifles."

I blinked in surprise, my eyes darting back to the blade of grass. "I was not aware that they were of such rarity I only thought them normal spirit grass. I have been following a trail of those patches of grass for nearly a month trying to catch up with my junior... former junior.' My voice had fallen to a whisper at the end as my face betrayed me, flushing once more in shame. "I caused him great harm when I made several stupid mistakes."

The old man interrupted me as I stared into the fire. "Mistakes are the purview of the young if you never made them, how could you grow as a person? However, I am curious; if what you say is true and you have seen many of these plots of spirit grass. Why do I not sense any on your person nor inside that ring you have around your neck." I jerked back in shock even as the old man watched in amusement, never stopping his insistent poking of the fire. "Calm yourself. I am no thief to take what is not mine. It is curious for one to own a storage ring so early on in their cultivation unless you are from some great house." By the way, both he and the woman looked me up and down neither thought it very likely. I was about to try and make a run for it, not wanting to talk about the ring, when the old man chuckled, waving me down. "No, I don't expect you to tell me your secrets but humor an old man and tell me why you have not taken any of the grass. It could help you greatly in your cultivation. Besides that, it is worth a hefty sum; I dare say that patch over there is worth as much as a courtyard near the center of the provincial capital."

I muttered under my breath, "I don't know how and I am afraid to damage the grass." They both blinked at me. The old man let out a thunderous bark of laughter while the woman who never took her suspicious eyes from me relaxed her shoulders and her eyes showed a slight bit of respect.

The Veiled woman suddenly got back to her feet, gesturing at me to follow. When I did, she led me past the horse to the patch of lush grass that I had gotten used to seeing on my trip. I spent the entire rest of the night listening to the woman lecture me on the proper procedures to cut the grass. She then took me around the clearing showing me various wild roots and vegetables fit for consumption and properly boiling any poisons that build up in a few the longer they grow.