Once breakfast is over, I grab my flute and wear my usual robes. Sister Lai offers to show us both around the sect, but memories of the library convince me to politely refuse.

Sister Xia looks conflicted, but I convince her to go with Sister Lai. I don’t think she’d have much fun with me in the library.

Walking through the sect by myself is a novel experience. Everyone in the sect is so exotic.

I look behind me on my way to the library, feeling a gaze on my shoulder. I see a few outer disciples watching me, but they quickly look away when they notice my attention.

I worry about their looks, but nothing happens for the rest of my walk to the library. 

The same brown robed disciple is at the desk leading into the library. He doesn’t notice my approach, distracted by a book.

Should I interrupt him? I don’t want to be rude, but I also want to get into the library and see Senior Sister Qiu. He looks really into his book….

I look up at the disciple one last time, hoping that he would notice me. I sigh as he keeps an intense gaze on his book. 

I can wait. Patience is a valuable trait amongst cultivators. 

Getting into a meditative position on the floor, I close my eyes to examine the qi flowing inside of me.

It only takes a few minutes before my fingers start fiddling with the Dizi flute in my robes. 

I’m sure no one would mind a little music. 

I pull the flute out of my robes and put it to my mouth. I hesitate as I consider what I want to play. This isn’t the time for one of the requiems, and my heart is drawn towards another piece my mother used to play for me. 

Bright notes flow out the flute, bringing light to the dimly lit entrance to the library.

It is a happy song, something playful that my mother would play when she was in a good mood.

My eyes widen as a small illusionary flower blooms in front of me, bursting into color with the beat of the song. Two small illusionary birds cheerfully fly over the flower. The images are obvious illusions and lack the power of the requiems.

The birds dance to the joyful song, playing with each other as they swoop and fly through the air. 

With a flourish, the song comes to an end, the birds flying out the windows as it does, the flower disappearing as if it was never there. 

The sound of clapping brings my attention away from my cultivation. While my gains weren’t the same as when I was playing one of the requiems, I could still find myself gaining some insights into the Dao of music.

Senior Sister Qiu smiles at me as the group of inner and outer disciples that had gathered around me finish their applause. Even the disciple who had been busy reading had closed his book to listen to my music.

I blush, realizing that I had created a scene. 

I quickly get up, bowing to the group in thanks.

“I am glad that I invited you to return.” Tai Qiu says, walking up to me as the crowd disperses. “Your music is quite a treat to hear.”

She motions for me follow her as we walk towards the entrance to the library. The disciple who mans the desk bows to her as we pass into the library. 

“Thank you for the compliment Senior Sister Qiu, but I am still learning when compared to true masters of music.” I respond, my gaze getting distracted by the towers of books filling the library. 

“Is there anything that you would like me to show you? I know this library better than I know myself.” Tai Qiu points at one of the bookshelves and a book comes off of the shelf, floating to her. She opens the book, opening it to the first page as she walks. 

I follow behind her as she walks, considering her question. What do I want to know? “I’m not sure. I would appreciate any insight Senior Sister might have.”

Tai Qiu smiles at my answer. She closes her book with a snap and flicks her wrist towards the stacks. This time it takes a moment for the book to float over. She hands the leather covered book to me. Only one word is on the cover.

 

Spirit

 

“This is a book from the top floor. Don’t ever leave it unattended and hand it back to me when you are going to leave the library. I am trusting you with this book Junior Sister Lin, don’t let my trust be misplaced.” Tai Qiu looks into my eyes, her gaze serious. 

Recognizing the importance of what she is doing, I bow to her. “Your trust is not misplaced. I will guard this book with my life.”

Tai Qiu laughs. “Don’t go that far. The book is not worth the life of such a promising disciple of our sect. Merely keep it as safe as you can. That’s all I ask.”

I bow again, acknowledging her words. 

“I must attend to some things, let the disciple at the front of the library know when you are done with the book and I will find you.” Tai Qiu smiles warmly at me before turning away from me. 

As she walks off, she places the first book that she grabbed on her head, easily balancing it there. As she walks, she pulls more books from the shelves, opening them briefly before putting them onto the slowly growing stack of books on her head.

It doesn’t take me long to find a cozy corner of the library. Few people roam the library, mainly brown robed disciples, and a few other new disciples who are picking up their cultivation manuals.

Once I’m comfortable in my spot, I open the first page of the book. I let out a small gasp as my qi starts circulating in strange patterns as I read the first words of the page.

 

Spirit is all around us.

Spirit is life.

Those who cultivate spirit understand life.

Those who cultivate spirit find themselves. 

 

Only those four lines are written on the first page. But when I’m finished reading them, I can feel my qi circulating through my body in a strange way. Contracting and expanding in my unlocked meridians. 

I meditate briefly. I am on the brink of a breakthrough, I can feel it. I’m not quite there, but I’m close.

Opening my eyes, I turn the page. A strange diagram of the human body fills the page, qi pathways similar but not the same as meridians flow through the diagram. A single line is written on the top of the page. 

 

For those who are ready, take the next step.

 

My qi starts moving through my body so fast that I can’t control it. I Immediately enter into meditation, sweating as my qi breaks open my two opened meridians.  I expect pain, but instead, I feel relief as the qi flows through another network of my body. The same network drawn on the diagram. 

Still deep in meditation, I do my best to prevent my qi from doing actual harm to my body as it violently explores the new pathways.

Tai Qiu

 

I quietly watch the young girl in her corner as she consolidates her new breakthrough. I wasn’t sure that the book would react to her, but it seems that my instincts were right. 

My aura floods the library, letting all the disciples know that they shouldn’t enter. Only my core disciples stay in the library, making sure that no one disturbs us and that the Elders don’t interfere with my business. 

The small formation I set up should keep those old masters from observing who it is that has started spirit cultivation.

When the threads of Karma had led me to the young Jia Lin, I was certainly surprised. She has decent cultivation for her age, but aside from that, she doesn’t seem special. 

However, it seems that her background is far from normal. Those who have the constitution and mentality to cultivate spirit are few and far between. I look forward to seeing if she is able to fully comprehend the book I gave her.

Jia Lin

 

A gentle hand on my back brings me out of my meditation. I look up to see Tai Qiu smiling down at me. 

“Congratulations on starting your path of  spirit cultivation Junior Sister. I am sorry to interrupt your meditation, but I believe that you have classes with the master scholars soon. If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late. The master scholars do not appreciate tardiness.”

I stand up, bowing to her as I hand her the book she’d given me. “Thank you Senior Sister.”

“Please do come to see me again soon.” She says, hiding the book in her robes.

My mind is distracted as I make my way back through the streets of the sect. A strange new sense seems to examine everything around me. It’s quite distracting actually. I can feel the lifeforce, or spirit, of everything within a meter of myself. I’m quite surprised by how many bugs are everywhere. The sense isn’t very specific and I understand very little of what it is showing me.

I’m so distracted by the new sensation, that It takes me a moment to notice that an outer disciple is standing in front of me. He smiles up at me. “Senior Sister, what a gift it is to see you here.”

I stare at him, surprised by his sudden appearance. “Do I know you?” 

The outer disciple wears robes dirty from constant use, has short black hair and is very handsome when he smiles.

“Of course, how silly of me. The Elder sent me to help you. They thought that you might have some trouble keeping yourself safe from those who would wish you harm. So they sent me to help you.” The young man motions to a sword at his waist. 

“The Elder did?” I ask, surprised that Elder Zhu Chen would do such a thing.

“Of course. Why don’t I accompany you to your room to prove my sincerity?” The young man motions with his arm in the direction of my room.

A dainty hand grabs the shoulder of the young man, as Ming Lai appears from out of the crowd. “Which elder did you say that was?”

The young man freezes. “Well-”

“You wouldn’t be trying to trick my Junior Sister, now would you?” Ming Lai asks, her voice cold.

“O-of course not-”

“Because if you were, I’m afraid I’d have no choice but to spend every effort to have you killed.” I freeze in surprise at the cold way she says that. She couldn’t mean that, right?

The young man immediately drops to the ground, his head touching the floor as he kneels. “Please, forgive this foolish one. This one had eyes but could not see.”

Ming Lai holds out her hand. “Give them to me.” She says calmly.

The young man’s face pales. “I’m not sure what-”

Ming Lai’s face grows colder, “Don’t make me ask again.” 

Reluctantly, the young man reaches into his robe and hands Ming Lai something. 

“Good. Now get out of my sight.”

The young man disappears so fast I almost can’t see him move.

Finally, Ming Lai’s expression turns to me before softening. “Do not trust the words of others so easily.” She says turning away towards our rooms. “Now come on, we don’t want Junior Sister Xia to worry.”

I glance in the direction the young man disappeared to before following Ming Lai.