Flying behind Mo Jin, He JiYang was silent. Although she knew humanity was like this, it was difficult to escape the mood. More importantly, she didn’t want Mo Jin to see this type of thing. Ai, who can understand this old mother heart?
Currently, they were heading towards Tang Li city. Unlike the little town they just passed through, Tang Li was a large city. It was in the territory of several large sects, so it was often frequented by cultivators. It wasn’t comparable to the true giants like MingYue in the XiMing area, but it was large enough to have a city lord.
Even going at their speed, it was more than a week away. He JiYang also needed to sleep a few hours every night, so when evening came, they looked nearby for another nameless town. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find anything, so they dropped to a small clearing.
Mo Jin went straight to cultivating, while He JiYang first ate a fruit. Afterwards, she decided to practice her sword moves.
There were three key methods to progress in one’s cultivation. First, it was to sit and cultivate the energy in one’s body and absorb energy from the surroundings. Different levels of efficiency depended on the spiritual veins and meridians tempered in the Foundation Building stage. This was also a step that everyone needed to do; if you went back a stage for whatever reason, you had to gather up enough energy again before moving forward. Pills and spiritual herbs could only help cultivate and temper the energy and situation of one’s body. For Mo Jin, who was still healing from strong internal injuries, this step was important.
The second way was to practice the skill of one’s path. For a sword cultivator, that meant they had to practice their sword style. For a medicinal healing cultivator, it would be the various healing spells instead. However, although it was necessary to polish one’s skills, the experience would be engrained in one’s mind and muscle memory. Therefore, the skills would still be the same regardless how one’s cultivation may change; the difference was the degree of spiritual power available for the movements. Even if the cultivator went down a different path and had different spiritual energies, the movements of the body holding the sword could still be practiced and not forgotten. Therefore, He JiYang’s sword skill, honed tirelessly through years of daily practice and fighting experience, was far above her current cultivation level.
The last way was through enlightenment of one’s Dao path. This was a little different, and typically not something that could be practiced. An understanding of one’s path would be different to the individual and their cultivation style. If one’s progression was unusually slow, it was likely they lacked a proper understanding of their Dao path. Typically, lack of understanding would show when a cultivator was at the peak level of a stage but couldn’t make it through the bottleneck. For example, after Foundation Building was Mind Refining; if a cultivator could not properly comprehend how to utilize one’s mind and spiritual sense, they may stay at peak level for decades. It depended more on one’s luck and experiences.
Some combination of all three was necessary in order to be a strong cultivator. He JiYang lacked in cultivation level, but her sword skill and level of understanding were deep. However, it was still important to polish her skills. Furthermore, it wasn’t only sword skill that she always practices.
The evening was spent in silence between the two people. Knowing she would be woken by natural light since they were outside, He JiYang decided to sleep earlier. She pulled a quilt from her storage bracelet and hopped onto the thick branch of a tree across from Mo Jin. Under the soft glow of the moonlight, his face appeared even more ethereal. Closing her eyes, she soon fell asleep.
The next day, they left early. He JiYang had the spiritual energy and capacity of an upper Foundation Building disciple for the time being, so it was difficult for her to fly at such a speed for a long time. Rather than frequently take breaks, she thought for a while, and decided to ask to be act spoiled.
“A’Jin, I’m tired.” Upon receiving this voice transmission with a slight coy tone to it, Mo Jin glanced at her, before stopping at a clearing by the river.
“Rest.” He said, before pulling out a mat from his storage treasure and sitting down to cultivate. She refused to admit defeat so easily and leaned on him, acting spoiled. His body stiffened immediately. It wasn’t like this type of act was unusual for her though. He’s seen it before, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Anyway, it’s not like he could leave her. She thickened her face.
“Or you could carry me flying.” She blinked cutely at him. Looking at her clear light purple eyes full of innocence and reliance, he subconsciously reached to touch the round circle stud on his right ear. It was a natural lavender jade and not actually a round circle; there were marks left behind from when he crudely broke off other details. He thought of when he had seen that expression before, and the person it was always directed at. (He JiYang: Unfair! Why do I sound like a scum woman??)
“Rest.” He said again, closing his eyes. He JiYang pouted.
“A’Jin…” She said pouting, nudging softly at him a few more times. He didn’t budge.
“Hmph.” She leaned on him as she sat down, breathing in his minty pine scent. Perhaps it was due to his cultivation path, it always felt like he was giving off cool air. She closed her eyes to recuperate her energy. Fine, she’ll just have to work a bit harder. It’s not like hard work was nothing new.
It was not completely dark when He JiYang and Mo Jin entered a town on their way. They were getting closer to the larger cities, so the towns were also larger. As they stepped in, He JiYang happily took off her hood again. It was still unlikely for someone to recognize them, but there were more cultivators in this town so her looks wouldn’t stand out so much.
Beauty was important to the cultivators, especially the ones who have cultivated for hundreds of years. All sorts of pills and supplements were available to improve one’s looks. Other than illusions there was nothing that could change the shape of one’s features, but a cultivator’s skin looked eternally youthful and glossy. Amidst a group of cultivators, He JiYang would be considered a lively beauty, but nothing too astonishing. However, Mo Jin’s face and figure would forever eclipse everyone else. He kept his hood on.
On their way towards the inn, a dirty young boy fell at He JiYang’s feet.
“Benefactors, my younger brother is starving, and it’s just him and I. Please spare some change!” There were often beggars on their travels, but most would stay clear of cultivators. Although cultivators were often very wealthy, they were also arrogant and ruthless, easily offended. Money could not be as important as one’s own life. This boy had a face wet with tears and a desperate tone of voice. Feeling some sympathy, He JiYang dropped a few silvers before walking away as he thanked them. She knew being too generous would make him a target.
After finding a place to stay, the pair went through their usual routine separately. He JiYang also went to a local tavern, trying to hear news about recent happenings in the cultivation world. She paid special attention to information about the Reverent Sun sect but didn’t find anything relevant. She sighed in relief before heading back.
Late into the next morning, they set off again.
As they walked out of the inn, they saw the young beggar from yesterday, surrounded by group of angry Qi Condensing disciples. One of them was wearing the branch disciple uniform of Reverent Sun. In particular, he was help up with the collar by short, round-faced boy dressed in ordinary robes whose face was spitting with rage.
“Please forgive me, please forgive me. It was for my brother, to buy medicine for my brother!” The skinny youth was crying and pleading, his face a mess of bruises and tears.
“Forgive you my ass! Do I look easy to swindle and bully?” The cultivator said, throwing him roughly on the group and kicking him again. He JiYang could hear the sound of bones breaking.
“Enough. Just kill him to quench your anger and let’s go.” Hearing those words, the beggar froze, before crying even louder and looking around for anyone that could help him.
He JiYang frowned. She was going to approach them but was held back by Mo Jin.
“He JiYang.” He said lowly. She opened her mouth to protest, but he tightened his grip and looked intensely into her eyes. She stared back, before dropping her gaze and standing still. Soon after, she heard the sword, and cries of the beggar were silenced.
“Tch, dirtying my sword. I’m in normal clothes so he’s not afraid to rob me? He asks for forgiveness, but who would forgive me if I lost shifu’s spiritual stones?” The cultivator said with a frown as they turned to go.
From beginning to end, they were right by the main street, but people merely gave a glance before carrying on with their business.
“Ai, I always told him he’s just asking for death. A compulsive liar with thieving hands, I always told him to be less greedy. Good riddance.” In the alley across, one beggar said to the one beside him. They spoke to each other, but it was easy for He JiYang to pick up.
“Who’s going to clean his body? That brother of his?” The other one replied. The first one gave a sardonic chuckle.
“Are you kidding? He doesn’t even have a brother.”
Author's Note: *Cries* I probably won't be able to add a comedic undertone any time soon...
