Chapter 73: "A Tael For Your Thoughts."

  A short eternity later Long's qi pressure withdrew just enough for Shae to gasp in a breath. Raggedly, she asked, "What...?"

  "That," Long spoke with a slight growl that was only noticeable in contrast to how plainly he usually talked, "That is a fuller taste of my qi pressure, which you have earned for so casually disrespecting me. Now that you have an invitation to the sect, you will be held to the same standards as someone within the sect."

  She tried to shake her head and mostly swayed side to side. "No. What-" she gasped again, "-did I say?"

  "Tsk. And now you're trying to wiggle out of it?" He shook his own head and his power wavered, getting slightly stronger before withdrawing, then pressing in again. "Frankly, I'll be surprised if you survive your first year."

  She tried to focus on him, yet her mind was being assaulted in an unfamiliar way. The flurry of information coming from the small patch of skin on her forehead refused to be ignored. Most of it was the same information, the feeling of Long's qi, over and over again like waves on a shore, but her brain didn't have a way to process it properly. Her focus drifted and gradually lost track of the moment, like slipping off to sleep.

  A familiar voice spoke and jarred her attention back, "-Shae? Can you hear me?"

  A hand shook her shoulder lightly, she had fallen to the ground. "Ugh, Hon?" She asked.

  "Yes, it's me. Here, sit up and drink this." He pulled her upright with a little too much strength, then more carefully gave her a flask of something. It wasn't quite water, but was equally refreshing and much more energising.

  "Wow! What's that? It's almost as good as the corporal's wake-up tea!"

  "What? When did you have that?"

  She shrugged. "In Minlin. After a cultivation pill hangover."

  "Tsk." Long clicked his tongue. "Whoever gave you that should be flogged."

  "Hah. I can't hold a grudge against everyone that feeds me something they shouldn't."

  Long raised an eyebrow. "So, you've finally forgiven me for the dragon-bao incident?"

  "Sure. I've got way worse stuff to be pissed at you for. Hell, that bit of qi pressure just now doesn't even register."

  "Don't swear. It's unsightly. Are you sure it didn't register when it knocked you out?"

  She shrugged again. "Eh, there were other factors involved." Then she gingerly touched her forehead and flinched away.

  Long frowned in a way that made him look actually concerned. "What was that, Guard Hon?"

  "Spiced tea. We use it at the forges when someone passes out from the heat." He swished the flask then took a sip and exhaled like he had taken a shot of strong alcohol.

  Shae rolled her neck around, shook her arms out, stood and then stretched a bit. "Well, I like it. Might need you to hook me up with some later." Then she clapped and rummaged through her robes. "Ah! Right, right."

  The two men glanced at each other then watched silently.

  "Here we are..." She pulled out a letter and skimmed it, while humming, then frowned. "Well. Not quite enough to be pedantic over." She said quietly, and returned the letter to her robes. "What did you want to discuss anyway, Master Long of House Long?"

  "You're not quite as upset as I expected after that?" Long raised an eyebrow.

  She shrugged. "Would it change anything? And like you said, we are in public."

  "Yet, that didn't stop you from questioning the morality of my actions?"

  "Is that what you thought I said? Well, that does explain your offense." She nodded then tilted her head. "Although, I can't agree that it should justify using your heavenly given power to slap down someone you see as below you."

  Long looked up and let out a heavy sigh. "Aaahh-ha! There she is. I was worried you were not feeling well, Miss Shae."

  Hon looked between the pair, clearly uncomfortable, and stepped back.

  This drew Long's attention. "Guard Hon, I'll have to ask you to give us some privacy. A perimeter check, perhaps?"

  "Of course, Master Long." He saluted then walked away, only giving Shae an empty glance on his way past.

  "The topic I wish to discuss isn't something suitable for a public location." He moved to the pedestal at the center of the small space and touched the side. The glow of qi formations lit up and traced along the sides and down.

  Shae tilted her head, then heard a change in the sound around them. A barely perceptible muffle to the background noise she hadn't really been aware of. "Privacy formation? That's convenient."

  "It is! Most people don't know that these displays are partly here for this purpose."

  "Partly?"

  "Well, there are also the items on display. Every City Lord needs some means of showing off their eccentricity." He shrugged. "So. Now, do you have anything to say? Might as well get it all off your back first."

  She frowned then looked up. "Hmm." She rolled her neck and stretched it and her shoulders. "Will you actually listen to what I have to say?"

  "Hah. Should I? Would you listen to my advice? It sure seems like you haven't been."

  Shae scowled and opened her mouth, "..." Then clicked it shut and closed her eyes. Dropping her head she took a deep breath. "Yes. I will listen to your advice."

  He remained silent until she looked up at him. His expression was back to being stony, with only a slight rise in one eyebrow. "And will you act on it?"

  She frowned and crossed her arms, then tried to match his flat expression. "I will consider it and act on my own conclusions. I'm not a puppet."

  He smirked. "You should refrain from treating higher stage cultivators as equals. Stop expecting everyone to be your friend just because you talk to them casually. Most won't find it as endearing as those few you've met outside the sect have."

  The annoyance Shae felt was clear on her face. She tightened up her crossed arms and looked at the ground. "So, I should stick to respectful deference, or is there some other path that is acceptable?"

  "That is the expected way, a traditional method that most recognize and follow. Perhaps, once you get to know your Seniors more, then closer relationships could develop."

  "Tsk." She shook her head. "I will respect people's titles and positions, Master Long. Yet, at the same time," she shook her head again, "people from my past world don't really respect deference. Especially when it is unearned or just given as default. We have derogatory names for people who do that. How could I respect myself while kowtowing to anyone with a drop more cultivation?"

  He chewed on the words briefly. "You have been using my title more than before. Did seeing me in battle change your mind?"

  She threw her head back, "Hah! No. What about my questioning you earlier made you think that, Master Long?"

  "So you admit it?" He took half a step forward.

  "Admit that I asked you a benign question of how you felt? Sure~ and in context with my own answer... Well, you could have thought I was implying something more." She smirked.

  He scowled for a full breath before returning to his stony mask. "Pedantry doesn't become you, Miss Shae."

  "Yes, it usually only becomes annoyance, but it is quite fun sometimes."

  "So did something spur a change or should I simply thank my fortune today?"

  "Hmmm. Something sure did happen. You haven't talked to Doctor Cho since yesterday morning, have you, Master Long?"

  "Should I?"

  She shrugged.

  "Ah. You did mention an enlightenment earlier. It was from that I assume?"

  She nodded. Then worked her jaw once to think before speaking, "Master Long, is it proper to freely speak about our own or other's enlightenments?"

  He shrugged. "Your close teachers and mentors will ask about them, to ensure they understand how much you understand. While you likely consider me neither, it is not improper to discuss your own with higher stage cultivators, as most should be beyond whatever comprehension you have."

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  She nodded along and tilted her head at the end. "Alright, but- well, it's easier to just say it. I was talking with Nurse Joi last night and we both had an enlightenment about the same subject."

  His eyebrows bounced. "Spectacular. Really aiming to reinforce that Wise title, aren't you?"

  "I might not have to if people used it more."

  He turned to the side and cleared his throat. "Well done, Wise Shae. What about?"

  "It was on the nature of titles."

  He frowned slightly, and rolled a hand for her to continue.

  "I was asking Nurse Joi why cultivators are so obsessed with being respected. One thing led to another and we found something interesting related to tribulations."

  He scrunched up his forehead. "Even if there was something there, it can't have been particularly potent," he pointed at her face and arm, "not enough to cause that. Moreover, it's a fair bit too early for you to be contemplating tribulations, not for Nurse Joi, of course."

  She huffed at him. "I'm not sure if I feel more resentful of the need to show off to you, or that I must repeat obvious facts. Yet since Apollo isn't here, someone from the sect should probably know how I've progressed." She rolled up her right sleeve. "I think you already know this is tribulation cleansing, and that I was trying to understand it to incorporate it into my qi. Apollo said something interesting during the battle that made me consider it in a new way." She paused for a breath.

  Long glanced to the side, stifling a cough, then nodded to her.

  "The enlightenment that should have occurred immediately was delayed because I was near the front lines of a dangerous battle. So, when the one with Nurse Joi started I continued to contemplate both and absorbed the skipped one as well."

  He gawked, "You're certain? Absolutely certain? Did anyone see the one at the battle? Even just sense a trace- oh I suppose that would be Apollo, if anyone. I'll have to ask her Master to set up a meeting- Confirmation of a delayed enlightenment, that's so rare!"

  She set her hands on her hips and watched him ramble. Digging deep into her Dantian, she grabbed onto her denser personal qi. The densest near the center was almost too difficult to move. As it thinned out it rose to the surface of the qi planet and became much more responsive, and even used less mental effort to move.

  The dense qi that she selected took some forceful thought to get moving but responded like lightning when it did. It raced out of her and up into her right arm where it caused her muscles to flinch and twitch as it sparked. This was less reactive than the rest of her body would be as her cleansed flesh seemed much more compatible with the powerful qi.

  Long recognized the change and his ramblings trailed off.

  "This was the result of my comprehension. A much more refined version of the qi you saw before." She said and flexed her arm. Sparks weren't exactly jumping out of her skin, but it felt like they could with just a little more power.

  "Already?" Long spoke like a quiet gasp, then turned and coughed into his sleeve. "-Hem. Well. Congratulations. I'd say you'll strike fear into your enemies, but many close to your stage won't even recognize it. Your elders will, of course."

  "Hmm." She nodded. "Fair point, though I wasn't really concerned with that. Hmm. Is it enough proof to properly claim my title?"

  "I don't see how it's related- oh the other title." He cleared his throat into his sleeve. "A-hem. Yes, I suppose. Though, people don't generally question titles."

  "Really? Cultivator Chang questioned it immediately, and he's not the first."

  "Ah. I see. Well. I suppose those at your stage don't generally have such an accomplishment."

  "It's just for passing a heavenly tribulation, yes?" She flexed her arm again and slowly returned the qi to her Dantian.

  "'Just for' she says. Hmmmm. Not entirely. Though, that is why most at your stage cannot claim it. For you, it indicates a certain understanding of heavenly qi. It does get used for other reasons, however."

  "Ah, so none before their tribulation will have had a chance to understand or even see one to begin work towards related enlightenments?"

  "Correct. Though some will have observed others' tribulations. For the title, some claim it relates to the Dao, rather than just the heavens, and some, like the military, hand it out for nearly anything."

  "Oh!" Shae gasped. "Right, it was the Staff Sergeant in Minlin who first named me Heavenly."

  Long exaggerated the act of rolling his eyes. "Of course." Then he stopped and looked to be considering something. "Yet, if I remember Elder Bai's report correctly, you did help two of their number. Both with enlightenments related to their... condition."

  "Their broken Dao's, yes."

  He tensed up at that, then blinked and forced himself to relax. "Speaking of Dao..."

  Shae watched the usually stone-faced man adjust his sect robes in a way that made him visually display his discomfort more than anyone she had seen in recent memory.

  "Regarding what you did during the battle. Specifically what you learned while inside my domain." He continued to fidget with his sword and belt.

  She expected more, so didn't respond for a full breath. "Yes, what about it?"

  "I need to know- well, first I should say: the Senior sect Elder that I reported to encouraged me to delay this talk. To wait until you were in the sect so that you might feel like you needed to... follow along, were the words used." He scowled briefly. "After some discussion we came to the conclusion that you wouldn't take that added pressure well and still might choose to walk away from the sect. Which is why I'd like to discuss it now."

  Shae blinked a few times. "I'm surprised. That's a rather considerate and insightful decision." She opened her mouth to say more but paused instead.

  "But?" He raised an eyebrow.

  "Hmm. My wit wanted to cynically ask who else convinced you. Yet that is, perhaps, more antagonistic than strictly necessary."

  He gave a stiff smile. Not letting it break over his whole face.

  "Plus, you did say we. Someone else was definitely involved. So, I'm curious but I understand it might not be my place to question how the sect makes decisions, even in jest." She smirked, then let a smile take over. "It's helpful to know someone was level headed enough to make such a call. And thank you for not making an impulsive decision yourself, Master Long."

  His expression had fallen towards a frown. "So nice of you to give me the benefit of the doubt, Wise Shae."

  "Was that sarcasm? Well done!" Her grin spread wider to reveal teeth.

  "Oh, ha ha. Yes, this old man still has a sense of humor. Like I haven't heard that one before." He rolled his eyes again.

  Shae's grin turned viscous. "So. How much are you going to pay me for the secrets to your Dao?"

  Long choked on his own smirk, hunching slightly to cough "What!" before covering his mouth with a sleeve and trying to cover up further coughing by clearing his throat.

  "He-he-he heh. Kidding, kidding!" Shae giggled. "I can hardly say any of it was a secret."

  Long took a few deep breaths, being sure to clear his throat and huff through his sinuses a few more times. "Well, always more surprises from you. Thank you for breaching the topic so thoroughly." He stood straight and smoothed his robes twice. "Whatever you learned. Whatever it is you think you know of my domain, of my Dao. What do you intend to do with that information? Will you share it freely?"

  She pursed her lips. She had noticed his wording, and the restrained intent he was trying not to pressure her with. He didn't say: with me. She shook her head. "Dao secrets are secrets." She flared her own intent through the words to reinforce her point and gasped lightly as she felt herself reverberate with the truth of the words. If Long had noticed, he didn't show it, and she didn't want to wait for a response. "I have no desire to share them with anyone. Not even their original owner. I believe that doing so would risk corrupting their understanding of their own Dao and possibly lead to damage to it."

  Not for the first time she had seen, Long seemed stunned into contemplation. He stood still and only breathed and blinked while staring in her general direction.

  "I will likely continue to explore other's Dao as I come across them; only when they reveal them by pressing them into the world near me. Yet, I have no interest in trying to guide others or one-up them in their own domain. As I said during the battle: I was not trying to mock you. I was trying to get you to act, because I believed the situation was urgent and dire." She presented her palms up and out to the sides. "Clearly that was wrong. Near the end, Apollo explained what you were trying to do."

  That seemed to snap Long out of his daze: he frowned. "Near the end? Yet, you still choose to interfere."

  "After that point I only interfered to minimize collateral damage. The beast was a paper dragon and you couldn't see that, or didn't want to. So I tried to give you a push so your attack didn't get larger."

  He scowled with pursed lips, then ran his tongue over his teeth. "And you just thought you knew best? Understood the situation better than a sect Elder?"

  "Apollo was with me, Master Long. She actively consented and encouraged me to act. All right after telling me not to do anything drastic because I was exhausted. She called in the evacuation to the other cultivators when we realized that your attack could possibly bring down the canyon-side."

  He continued to stew, turning away from the young woman to stare past the display pieces. "Well, she clearly agreed with what I was doing. She didn't argue with the setup or tell me to stop."

  Shae sighed heavily and had to stop herself from cursing under her breath. "Ask her that. Don't assume. She was trying to contact you with silent messaging at the end, and said you weren't responding. We guessed you were too focused to notice."

  He shook his head lightly. "No, silent messaging doesn't work inside a-" he cut himself off. "She should know that." He mumbled and wrinkled his forehead.

  -inside a domain, Shae guessed at the end of the sentence. She thought it out first, then made a suggestion, "As to why she helped with the setup, you might be focusing on her true cultivation stage instead of her functional position in the sect."

  His face soured further, like he ate a strong lemon. "Oh."

  Shae rocked forwards on the balls of her feet. She wanted to continue berating the man but could tell the point had already reached him.

  He raised a hand to stroke the short beard at his chin. "Did she intentionally act as though she was at a lower stage ... maybe for the whole trip?" He mumbled to himself, then caught sight of Shae again. "Mi- A-hem... You've given me much to think about. I- I'll need a few breaths to consider this. ... You really have no intention- No, nevermind that now. Guard Hon is that way. Please walk a lap or two, and, thank you, Heavenly Zhi Shae." He gave her a low nod.

  She bowed and took her leave in the direction indicated.

  silver Tael would be worth much more than a penny, but to a cultivator it's probably about right.