Cultivating Chai

60:

Xiao Feng’s gaze focused on the tall man that stepped outside the lodge, as his grip on the hilt of his blade went slack. He studied the middle-aged bald man that was clad in gray robes, his impressive musculature apparent through the fabric.

In his right hand was a thick wooden staff that seemed to have been sculpted out of a particularly dense, deep-brown tree, his expression amused as his lips parted in favor of a grin.

“It seems that you have already introduced yourself to Liulian,” The bald man noted in a cheery tone that seemed boisterous due to his particularly deep voice, before walking over to the panther-like feline who broke out into a yawn, revealing two wickedly sharp canines that seemed to be more crystal than bone, amongst a set of far more normal incisors.

He sat down on the porch of the lodge, before he affectionately began to pat the vicious beast.

Xiao Feng blinked as the feline melted under the bald man’s touch, resting its head on his lap before shutting its eyes.

Generally, green robes belong to the Alchemists and white robes belong to Martial Division cultivators. What do gray robes mean, then, Xiao Feng wondered as he studied the bald man as he petted the deadly spiritual beast.

The obvious answer was staring at him, but assumptions could be deadly in the cultivation world.

“Beast Master Zen,” Lianhua greeted. “I was not aware that you were back.”

Occam’s razor, Xiao Feng thought, amused by the discovery. Works even in the realm of Sephari, I guess.

“Few need be concerned by my coming and going,” Zen affably replied, his attention mostly reserved for the feline in his lap. “So, how have you been, Little Li. And is that company I see?”

“I told you not to call me that,” Lianhua protested, even as her cheeks flushed a little.

“Oh?” Zen questioned, as he cocked his head in their direction while massaging his chin. “This old man must have forgotten.”

Lianhua rolled her eyes, not impressed by Beast Master Zen’s antics.

Little Li? Xiao Feng thought. That’s a casual way to address a Senior Alchemist. Is he a family friend or are Beast Masters ranked higher in the social hierarchy? He wondered.

Come to think of it, he couldn’t detect any Qi from the man.

Beast Master Zen did not exude the demeanor of one trained in the martial way. His gaze was too soft, lacking the vigilance that had been honed across countless life and death battles and his staff was not a weapon intended to kill, no— it was only a tool designed to protect oneself from harm.

More than that, though, there was vast compassion in his gaze as he ran his hand across the soft, silky fur of the panther-like feline. The kind of compassion that could not be feigned.

It was far too unlikely for such a peaceful man to have carved his way towards the bloody path to ascension to Nascent Soul.

Xiao Feng would not dare use his essence cultivator art on one who had reached that fabled stage, but Core Formation stage cultivators were a different matter.

He activated it and found his suspicions proven true.

Beast Master Zen’s vast Qi reserves were perfectly contained in a small, palm sized sphere that rested where his Dantian would normally have been. He should’ve been a weak Core Formation Cultivator, but Xiao Feng had to stop his eyes from widening in surprise as he found that to not be the case at all.

The Qi reserves in Beast Master Zen’s reserves surpassed his own reserves tenfold. While it was not the pinnacle of the stage, it still meant that Beast Master Zen’s position was firmly rooted amongst the strong.

How?

“I can stop visiting, you know?” Lianhua rhetorically said. “If you insist on treating me like a child.”

“But you are a child, Little Li. I was at your father’s side not long after you came into this world,” Zen chided, seeming to relish at the opportunity to remind Lianhua of their history.

An exasperated sigh escaped Lianhua’s lips, but she did not truly seem like she took offense to his words.

“Well?” Zen asked. “Are you going to introduce me to this young martial cultivator or am I going to have to ask him myself?”

Xiao Feng blinked. Then he asked, “You can tell?”

He had switched to wearing the standard issue green robes that recruits and alchemists alike wore, even if his lacked a patch that signified his status within the Alchemy Division. Well he didn’t have one and the robes let him blend in the best someone like him could.

“You were looking for an excuse to bisect my poor Liulian in half,” Beast Master Zen retorted with annoyed huff. “Not that you would have succeeded, mind you, but do me the courtesy of not acting surprised when you wear your heart on your sleeve.”

This time, it was Xiao Feng’s turn to be mortified, as he sheepishly ran his hand across his hair.

“This is Xiao Feng,” Lianhua intervened, saving him anymore embarrassment. “Xiao Feng, this is Beast Master Zen. He is in charge of the menagerie, though it is usually one of his disciples that are taking care of it while he roams the land in search of more beast eggs to poach.”

“I do no such thing,” Beast Master Zen replied. “I rehouse beasts to much friendlier homes. I would never consider a barbaric act like poaching.”

“Sure,” Lianhua replied in a deadpan voice.

“Nevermind that, who is this Xiao Feng to you, Little Li?” Zen asked.

“He is my disciple,” Lianhua replied with conviction. “For now,” She hurriedly added as the moment passed.

Beast Master Zen froze. Then he blinked and studied Lianhua, before shifting his intense gaze to Xiao Feng and then back to Lianhua.

“You’re joking,” He tried.

Lianhua calmly met his gaze.

“Huh,” Beast Master Zen finally seemed to accept it, as he slowly started nodding. “I had thought you a late bloomer, but it appears I was wrong.”

Lianhua’s cheeks began to brighten.