(In a forest to the Northwest of Wenjinxiang Village)

Stomp...STOMP...STOMPP! STOMMPPP!

I kept my eyes closed and my hand clutched tight around Meifen's mouth. I had only unlocked my first Dantian, but this time around I noticed I was a lot more sensitive to the flow of ki around me. For this reason I was trying something I far above my level. I was trying to detect the ki in the rank 6 monster passing by.

I desperately wanted to know if it was pointed towards us or going to pass alongside us. The monster was a Ravenous Slimemold. This was one of the larger variety suggesting that it had been formed by the agglomeration of hundreds or more lesser slimemolds. That alone would make it dangerous given purely physical moves would be useless, unless it could blow the monster away or scatter its parts across a wide range.

What made the Ravenous Slimemold special was that it could continue digesting and eating away at us even from torn off parts of its own body. We would only need to be touched once, and even if we tore free or were freed by a partner the slime would continue killing us until we could find a body of water or potion to wash it away.

I had brought on this training trip several potions that should increase our survivability. Even if we were discovered if I had time to use one I could either lure it away with a false scent or use one as a catalyst for a sonic barrage. It wouldn't kill the slime, but it should disrupt it's elasticity and drastically slow down its movements. I didn't want to use that one, though, given neither of us had trained our internal ear drum much so it would hamper us as well, not to mention attracting major nearby predators.

Fortunately, I heard at last it moving away. My ki sensing could only tell me the direction. I had difficulty picking distinguishing the distance but I relaxed enough to take my hand away from Meifen's mouth. Her upraised brow I realized suggested exactly how unnecessary she considered my actions.

Ever since Meifen had opened her lower Dantian I had been wanting to leave to begin practicing the Chimera Martial Arts. I had delayed for a year to be sure we were ready even if we met with any of the local rank 5 predators.

On this trip our targets were rank 4 or injured rank 5 monsters that could be captured and used for parts. Humans are inherently weaker than monsters. This can be partially addressed with Ki, but the fact of the matter is there are no humans who can fight a rank 9 monster one on one. At rank 9 monsters generally have reached the peak of ki or magic capabilities and, furthermore, have all the advantages of their superior form.

I once saw a rank 9 in the distance. It was a herbivore and seemed more concerned with siphoning off residual mana from an underwater nexus point. It had been the beginning of my passion and obsession with creating a martial art that could truly one day stand on the same stage as them.

As the thumps faded at last to soft taps I stood up and held out a hand to Meifen. She didn't take it and climbed to her feet on her own. Then began wrapping the chains of her Kusarigama around herself once more.

I had tried to persuade her to go with an easier weapon, but she had liked the throws I had demonstrated and how they could be used to setup larger attacks. Consequently she wanted a weapon that could further enhance her ability to throw and entrap enemies.

“We've got two more wolves hanging around. We could use the meat.” I suggested.

“Normal or special?”

I shook my head. “Normal+, rank 2 at most.”

She headed off with a nod in the direction I pointed. I followed a second later without a sound. I smirked as I saw her scythe volley forward and swing around empty air as it took to the trees. Meifen followed it up a second later with just enough ki to bounce off the trunks like trampolines. The blood fanged wolf counterattacked fiercely with a lunge that Meifen dodged. The wolf kept on going through half a tree trunk and then found it pinned as a jump back kick from Meifen. pinned its torso against the trunk. An instant later a knife from strapped to her forearm was drawn and slid into the back of its head.

She looked at me as I revealed myself with a dirty scowl. “Another game. That was rank 3.”

“Sometimes the information or wrong or outdated. You ought to be prepared for anything.” I suggested with a small upturn of my lips. I was proud of her. She'd come a long way.

“Is this meat even any good?”

“Maybe, I know a good recipe for the liver, but I think most of it will go into our traps as bait.”

The slimemold wiped out our traps and just ignored the sting in every one of them. I was annoyed at having to reset them, but at least this wasn't anywhere near as annoying as the last month of school had been.

“What's this?” Asked Meifen.

I turned back to her to find her surrounded by a few white lights. “Those are Wisplings. Harmless rank 1 monsters. They're immaterial so there's no point trying to catch them. They are attracted to other monsters and cultivators who have just been in combat because they're feeding on your ki emissions.”

She gazed at them in fascination. Each was about half the size of her fist. “Why are they even considered a rank 1 monster if they're harmeless?”

“Some predators use them to help them find prey. If you were trying to hide they'd be far from harmless. Also, they can grow and evolve into Wisps, which are tricky to deal with and rank 3.”

I move over to her. “Watch what I'm doing carefully.”

I wave my hand in a ring and purposely try to go against the flow of the natural energy around us. The wisplings scatter. “What did I just do?” I ask her.

She frowns. “It doesn't feel like you pushed them away, but they scattered like they were afraid. Was there some implicit threat in your motion?”

“No. although if I'd taken it up a few notches I might have been able to temporarily scatter their energy. What I did was a simple training exercise in the Void Martial Arts, which is about opposing nature and the heavens. It draws strength from the conflict and can be thought of as an anti-Tao martial arts. The wisps were reacting to a temporary disruption of the natural balance of yin and yang.”

“Oh, you used yang oriented ki didn't you. You were opposing the air element, which is more yin-aligned and your circle wasn't perfectly straight. It was lop-sided because you were making an unbalanced energy wave.”

“Good. You're getting better. Observation, replication, adaptation and demonstration. Those are the three steps through which our arts advance. For now concentrate on observation and replication, but also remember that's just a means to the goal.”

The mantra brought a small frown to my face. The Xiong clan followed all four from what I'd heard, but their adaptation was constrained to something that needed to look and appeal to outsiders. Their demonstration was like an ouroboros eating itself. Each successive generation they would churn out with their quantity over quality teaching would be inferior to the previous one.

“Let's get started.” I said with a pleasant smile that was only skin deep as I turned back to the corpse we needed to prepare. "I wonder how monsters reproduce so quickly.” I mused as I drew a dagger from my waist.

"They probably have large broods and shorter reproductive cycles than humans." Suggested Meifen. "I wonder about how so many high level predators can survive without killing off all of the wildlife and then starving."

"Oh, I know the answer to that."

"And you're willing to tell me?" Asked Meifen who'd begun to drain the excess blood.

"What are talking about? Since when do I keep secrets from my student. The reason is that many of these are omnivorous and I've even seen some high level monsters engaging in farming practices. Albeit that usually involves culling other predators who'd kill their choosen prey and only eating sustainable amounts each season."

"That's terrifying." Said Meifen.

"What do you mean?"

"I was just thinking about how if monsters are really that calculating perhaps we're also a flock they're building and periodically culling."

***

(Dugu Yinfen)

I stood in the line for the East Xiong Academy's entrance exam and considered that I might have an addiction. I don't think it's normal to be contemplating how to fleece these crowds and turn hope into profit when you're about to take a test. Still, I can't seem to work up the nerve to get nervous, and there are worse trains of thought to default to when criminally bored.

“Hey, how many years have you been preparing for this.” Said the young man in front of me. He looked about 9-10 and had new, clean clothes but not professionally tailored. I pegged him as the son of a skilled worker or a poor merchant family.

“Three years. There was plenty of sweat, but I'm certain my hard work will pay off in the end.” I said as I put on an enthusiastic front like a well-worn cloak.

“Me, me too. Well, technically I've been training for three and a half years. I don't think I've going to get in this year, though. Hopefully I can pass the test next year. I guess I'm trying this year to prepare for next year.”

What a waste of money. The entrance fee for this farce is 10 silver. That's four books or enough to feed a poor family for two weeks. I look down at him and wonder if he's just filled with false modesty. Three and a half years is plenty of time and if you can't get the basics down by then one more year won't help you.

I hold out my hand him. “Good luck then. My name is Dugu, Dugu Yinfen, but no one uses my given name.” He shakes it, and holds on a tad too long. A shame that his hands are uncalloused. It doesn't seem like he's worth my time.

I transfer my attention to the room the applicants are entering one at a time. From the account I got they are traditionally tested for physical prowess, spiritual strength and mental foundation. A strong traditional martial artist needs a strong body and a strong mental foundation to build their internal energies. The spiritual strength is a new category they've introduced since they now teach the Western magical arts too to students who show high aptitude. If you're especially gifted in that, though, you're better off heading to the far west to learn at their schools.

Mr. Faraday has already told me I have above average magus potential, but that won't be anything special if I head to the far west. I should concentrate on my strengths.

“APPLICANT 73.” Shouts the proctor. He's as bored as I am but he's been loading himself up with bribes. I've counted at least 6 gold and 13 silver entering his hands. He doesn't realize it but the other proctor has also been keeping track of how many bribes he's collected. I wonder if he'll report him or demand a side payment for his silence.

The East Xiong Academy is one of the two primary Xiong academies along with the West Xiong Academy. The important one, though, isn't either of these feeder schools, but the more mysterious Chimera Xiong Academy. Supposedly it was once called the Imperial Xiong Academy before they were forced to change the name by the Emperor. Where the East and West Academies maintain the face of the Xiong Clan as a teacher and supporter of the Imperial court, the Chimera Xiong Academy is by invitation only and has the nickname of “the little court.” It is said that “the official tax rate is decided by the ministers in the royal palace, but the amount a tax collector may overcharge and how much of it will go to the Xiong Clan is decided by the little court.”

If I want true power in the Xiong Clan's territory I'll need to reach there.

Which means I need to sit in this line and hope I haven't become too old to enter by the time I finally get to the front. I sigh.

I try to do some breathing exercises before settling on cycling and purifying my mana. Ten gold coins worth of bribes later it's finally my turn. I ask the corrupt proctor, “can you tell me what the best result has been so far today?”

I flash him a silver coin that goes into a handshake and then leave my possession. He answers dryly. “Ten stones worth of weight, Jade spiritual pressure, and 700 breathes worth of ki.”

He clearly doesn't care if I understand what he's just said but I nod and step inside. In the first room is a set of boulders lined up in order of increasing size.

“Pick a boulder and transfer it across that line without dropping it.” The proctor of the first room says. There are two black lines on the ground. One line is just in front of the boulders denoting the starting line and the other at far end of the room. “You may take up to five minutes to choose your rock, but once you've made your choice and begun you will only be given one chance.”

At first glance this appears to be a simple strength test. It's not. The human body can carry extremely large amounts of weight with the appropriate posture. The issue will be how strong our grip is. Moreover, we need to properly guage our strength and choose the heaviest rock we can successfully handle.

I start from the heaviest rock and work my way down the line. I merely lift it for a second and then put it back down. I hear a snicker from the proctor as I start at the heaviest boulder. At last I find one that I think weighs approximately 10 stones. I move one size smaller. I think this is probably around 9 stone. I lift it up and begin my trek across the room. At the other end after passing over the line I place it back down on the ground.

“Good work.” Said the proctor. “Can you place it back for me?”

A hidden test. The doorman never mentioned how the boy who lifted 10 stones did on this part. He probably couldn't manage to put it back as well. I don't lift it up again and instead choose to roll it back to its starting place. With a nod at the proctor, I move on to the next testing area.

In the next room, the proctor is by the exit at the end of a long room. On the ground are nine lines. Right in front of the proctor is a nightstand and a bracelet.

“Make your way here and put on this bracer.” He starts with the weakest spiritual emission. A Quartz level aura that only makes me feel some discomfort.

As soon as I cross the first line he switches to a peach moonstone aura that feels as if I'm carrying one of the smaller stones from the last room. I continue on without slowing down.

After the second line he deepens it with a layer of Topaz aura. It's like moving through molasses.

These were the easy spiritual emission types. I brace myself for the next one. When his aura switches to sunstone I feel a wall of emotional rejection. It reminds me of the day I was cast out of my family. How my sister was adopted by my cousin but they refused to take me in. I reminded myself that I had found a new home for myself. That I had carved a place for myself. That I...

Upon reaching the fourth line an opal aura shines out and hits me with fear. Fear that I am inadequate. Fear that I am unnecessary and useless. Fear that I will become my father. Fear that my father was right.

It's a relief. The composite colors of this trial are like tiny rays exploring my body from multiple angles to find my weakness. They will be disappointed.

I proceed across the fifth line and finally reach Jade. This time there is no emotional component. Pure aggression and intimidation greet me and try to make its bitch. I smile and take a dive.

“Enough. You've failed. Continue on.” Said the instructor with a wave at the door before staring down once again at the bracer.

I pick myself up and head on through. As I pass the nightstand I take a peak at this bracer. It is old and covered in a suspicious layer of metallic grime, but beneath it is a symbol inlaid with Jade. It is a rectangle filled with squiggles I've never seen before. What captures my attention, though, is the sense of meaning and purpose I can feel from it. More royal than royalty and as fathomless as the endless sea.

“Continue on applicant 117.” I do so with a new spark of regret in my heart.

In the final room they order me to stand in the middle and meditate. The proctor puts his hand on my shoulder and begins to send in his internal ki. I follow my reflexes and redirect my own ki to push it out. He does this again and again each time with a touch more. I find it difficult to keep track of how much he's using, but when I suspect he's close to 600 breathes worth of power I soften my resistance and then let it fade entirely.

“Very well done. 650 breathes.” He announces.

I leave the testing center and place my hands behind my head. It really was a waste of time. I had decided not to give it my best to avoid conflict with my seniors. There would no doubt be competition for recommendations, and being second or third best was good enough until I was ready to make my move.

I wondered what Ping and Mei were doing. This would probably have been a nice warm-up for them. To think I had been trying to sabotage him by preventing him from coming here years ago, only for him to not even show the slightest interest. Now it's me entering and him doing what I'd always swore I'd do—taking care of my family.

He may call me his rival, but he's already won. He's won in every way I could care about.

I turn down an alley and call out to my tail, “come out already. I don't want you following me home.”

I see two older boys and a well-dressed young noble step out. “Ahh, is this the part where you tell me to quit and withdraw my name?”

“Shut up, drudge rat.” Cries out one of the older boys. “You can take a bath and put on fine clothes, but a commoner like you has no business going to the school of Master Xiong He, much less showing him up.”

I laugh. They're calling me a “drudge rat” because I'm a mere commoner. It's clear they have no idea who I am.

“I'm glad you're here. I needed some stress relief after that exam. Come at me you blue buffoons. I'm sorry, I mean you blubbery babboons.”

The two older boys charge at the same time, while the younger one moves forward at a sedate walking pace. I slam a psychic attack at the right one with unshaped mana. Then I catch the overhead blow of the left one. As he tries to pull out a dagger with his other hand I slam a palmstrike forward at the hilt that causes it to slide back into its sheathe, and him to overbalance and almost topple over. Only my hand hold on his gi prevents him from toppling over.

I don't even need to use any of the techniques I've paid tutors to teach me since coming here. I slam the heads of the two forerunners into each other and then kick them both at opposing walls.

“Tell me, young heir, have you ever heard of the Mockingbird. It is a species of bird that is now extinct, but was said to find the nests of other birds, roll out their eggs, and then lay its own down in their place. It would fool its victims into raising their own young.”

“YOU...” He's speechless, or maybe just apoplectic with rage.

“The reason it went extinct was because it never learned to take of its own young. When the species that it preyed upon as a parasite went extinct it followed them soon after. At least, that's my theory.”

“What do you want? Money. If you harm me then know your family will be destroyed by my father.”

I shake my head. Such a hard head this boy has. “I'm not going to hurt you, Baifong Xiang. I know very well who you are and who your father is. I'm saying I'm willing to play the role of the Mockingbird's adoptive parent. I'll take care of you unlike these useless pieces and all I ask in return is that you make sure I'm taken care of. After all, just as the Mockingbird went extinct when it's victims disappeared, if I were to be done away with you'd be left with these buffoons to defend you. The next time you find yourself in a dark alley against someone like me it could very well be your turn to go extinct.”

I offer my most sincere smile and a courtly bow that I learned from an expert forger. We leave his two useless babboons where they fell and I walk out with my coparasite. The boy will not survive long once I move on. I can tell based upon how quick he was to show his back to me, but that isn't my problem.