Cultivating Chai

5:

Xiao Feng had naturally known that the Alchemy Division of the Frontier Sect was not actually located in the actual sect premises.

To understand the why was a matter of simple political knowledge. The frontier sect was situated on the rocky, mountainous region that formed what would be a natural barrier back on earth, but meant little to an army of demonic cultivators.

The Frontier Sect, a subsidiary sect of the Azure Lotus Sect, was the first and most important line of defence in guarding the relatively small territory of the righteous path sect.

Only the most talented and battle-honed cultivators from the Azure Lotus Sect were allowed transfers to the Frontier Sect and Xiao Feng had been one of them, the same holding true for the black-haired Mei Chen who walked by his side as they stepped out of the shadows cast by the towering double-doors that had been opened for them.

The Alchemy Division was about a two-hour descent down the side of the flat topped mountain upon whose surface the bastion that was the Frontier Sect was positioned. It was only natural not to risk their supply of alchemical pills and the prized alchemists responsible for their refinement by placing them on the danger stricken border when there was no need to.

Come to think of it, Xiao Feng didn’t know if the mountain was flat-topped by its nature or as terrifying a possibility as it was to contemplate, a cultivator had sliced it’s top off for it to be better suited to constructing a defensive installation. Based on what little he knew about Nascent Soul and the terrifying Soul Emperor stage cultivators above them, it was not really a preposterous idea.

For Xiao Feng’s recently recovered status, Mei Chen showed him consideration by ambling down the mountain’s side at the same, decidedly mortal pace.

Xiao Feng knew, of course, that his physical body was capable of far more than the cautious, slow way he tackled the descent, but that was assuming he could channel the Qi in his Dantian to empower himself instead of injuring either himself or someone else in the process. Just because he possessed the knowledge on a subject matter did not mean that he would be able to employ it perfectly on his first try.

Another reason why he couldn’t wait to get to the Alchemy Division that was primarily comprised of non-combatants. There he would be able to practise his martial skills without oversight, especially without a certain Elder wondering if he was the same person when he inevitably noticed the decline in his skill, finesse and speed.

Ten minutes passed by Xiao Feng and Mei Chen in awkward silence, before the latter finally decided to speak up.

“Brother Xiao Feng,” She addressed him, her tone betraying a hint of her curiosity.

“Yes?” He replied, having dreaded the moment. He could pretend to be Xiao Feng all he wanted, but at the heart of the matter, he was not. Neither did he possess all of Xiao Feng’s memories. Nevertheless, he couldn’t avoid conversations with cultivators of the Martial Division, unless he wanted to come under suspicion.

Even the little Xiao Feng understood of the politics of the Frontier Sect told him that Elder Haoyun had not yet given up on his career in the Martial Division— far from it, in fact, considering he was bestowed an incredibly valuable Foundation Establishment Artefact despite signalling that he wished to leave behind a life of combat.

“May I ask you a question?” Mei Chen asked, her tone gentle as she effortlessly hopped down from a protruding stone to a thin ledge, easily finding purchase.

“You may,” Xiao Feng replied, as he took the far more easily navigable side route, slowly grappling the descent.

“Even Core Disciples are in awe of what you accomplished on the battlefield. There were talks of promoting you to a Guardian position even as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator— an honour that is almost unheard of. So why are you leaving, Brother Xiao?”

The sound of his own footsteps navigating the ground echoed in his ears as he considered the question.

“Sister Mei,” Xiao Feng acknowledged, his tone thoughtful. “If you were given a chance, would you like to be offered what I almost was?” Xiao Feng asked, not doubting the veracity of her speculation.

Hesitation flickered on Mei Chen’s visage before she composed herself and answered, “Naturally. There is not a single disciple in the Frontier Sect’s Martial Division who would not seek what you could have obtained with a flourish of your hand, Brother Xiao Feng.”

“I see,” He considered. “Even if it meant taking the blow of a Nascent Soul Cultivator head on?”

Mei Chen’s expression paled as she realized that she had overstepped.

“I do not mean to chastise you, Sister Mei,” Xiao Feng clarified, his tone soft. “On the battlefield, I died once. For truly, what else can one call being struck down by a Nascent Soul?” He posed the rhetorical question with a dramatic flair.

Mei Chen now gazed at him intently, perhaps a bit too intently, as she waited for his next words.

Did I over do it? Xiao Feng wasn’t the type of dude to weave hyperbole in his tales, but uh, I guess it’s fine. When she reports back to the Elder, maybe she’ll highlight just how much I’ve changed and they will leave me alone, He thought, dismissing any concerns.

“Yet,” Xiao Feng continued. “By some miracle of the Heavens, I stand before you, unscathed. Sister Mei Chen, would it not be a pity if I squandered away my second chance at life the same way, bleeding out on a battlefield without stopping to consider why the Heavens have bestowed this chance upon me?”

“Why the heavens have bestowed this chance upon you…,” Mei Chen repeated his words, the words Xiao Feng had made up on the spot, her eyes considering him in a new light— almost as if she was on the verge of an epiphany.

“Indeed, Sister Mei Chen,” Xiao Feng sagely nodded.