5: (Erosions in the Foundation) 

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It took some time but my choices were either to adapt or continue to stumble around metaphorically in a dazed fashion. 

Eventually I mostly came to terms with the situation that was my second life. 

Maybe a good metaphor for cultivation is that it's a lot like farming. There's some expectation for how the produce will turn out but that also leaves the factors that can go awry.  

Qi Deviations, and rotten Spiritual Roots is just the tip of the iceberg for dumb way to die. Then again, I had no latent fear of death considering such an event is what led up to the present.

Still I was also but another ordinary person thrown into an unfamiliar situation. For now I'd continue on by trying my best with the desire to live long and be healthy. 

While I stated that I was going to make a trip to the greenhouse, it was actually unnecessary. Since my technical recovery a few pleasantries had been given to me as condolence gifts. 

That morning there were scrolls I wanted to read and other minor things to attend to which were best put on hold for a while. 

“Hey Youngster, it's dangerous to go alone! Take this.” The old woman from the kitchen interrupted my morning stroll to the library. “When the news came of your ailment the shock was like facing Heavenly Tribulation again...” 

I eyed the plant with suspicion but after checking it over there was nothing seemingly dubious about it.  It was more free stuff so I was inclined to take the present, albeit with caution.   

She had wrinkles, beyond the fact the lady was elderly it was hard to guess her age. For some reason I had an odd anticipation that the ravages of time would dissolve to reveal a younger face but it never did.  

“Of course Granny, all try not to end up in such another precarious situation.” I replied. 

My guess is the thought behind them is that it was for alchemic pills or elixir creation. Although such a thing was out of my area of expertise.   

In time the ideal decision would probably be to commission an Alchemist. However, it wasn’t as straightforward, there were a few major holes with my original plan. 

One, most of said profession would size me up and see me as the perfect walking ingredient for their craft. Obviously that was to be a very big dissuading factor. 

Second, I had a silly fondness for plants. Hence for now my course of action was simply to keep the potted ginseng I had been given on a ledge in my room. 

Thus over a short while a small flora collection was amassed. In another corner of the was a jar of fish food for the koi that I would sometimes feed. 

Other various trinkets such as books and shelves lined the room. 

Suffice to say because I was now part dragon I may have picked up a slight hoarding addiction. Then again everything was meticulously organized and my huge destain for clutter affected the placement of every item.  

Another strange trait that’s come to my attention is that I’m cold blooded. Not in the sense of an edgy villain but in biological terms that’s equated with reptiles.  

Thanks to cultivation, frostbite no longer affected me. Yet part of my daily routine after training was over I had taken to basking in the sun on the rocks near the koi ponds.     

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The dress code for disciples and cultivators of the Mystic Dragon Sect wasn’t very strict. However, one thing that was unanimously agreed upon was the usage of an azure blue colour.  

“Hmm... That’s one of our Junior Brothers.”

“What’s he doing then, as don’t only peasants lie in grass?”  

Shao Zheng was napping on his back like a common farmer in the middle of a field. Despite his lazy posture he kept his dignified composure that was a symbol of esteemed lineage. 

“Can’t you see, you should mind your manners.” A single eye carved from amber opened before falling back to sleep. “I suppose it can’t be helped that new initiates are keen to be rowdy.” 

“Quiet the both of you so that we make it to calligraphy class on time.” Jiang Bolin snapped. 

Being the Head Disciple had its perks, but having to wrangle the outer disciples like children was certainly a drawback.

As much as cultivation was the foundation that the Mystic Dragon Sect was built upon it could be said that the Six Arts; Music, Archey, etc, were the pillars. 

Thus a wide variety of subjects were taught to its disciples. 

Whatever Bolin’s stupid relative was up to be dammed. Having to face the wrath of the Grandmaster who was a fully fledged immortal was an arduous task with much more suffering involved.

At a later time he’d challenge Shao Zheng to a duel for the Mystic Dragon Sect’s recognition. Yet other than be an irate mountain that Jiang Bolin failed to surpass, the former had done nothing wrong.  

Maybe, just maybe Bolin had gone about judging his cousin unfairly. Still, there was no changing brutish behaviour and yet the blockhead Zheng seemed more intuitive these days. 

Ironically Jiang Bolin was somewhat attributed with the idiom of drinking vinegar. Then Shao Zheng would literally go on to knock that accusation out of the water.

Fish and chips, an abomination of food that Shao Zheng requested to be made. At first the exotic dish seemed kind of decent only for it to be ruined by being drenched in putrid vinegar. 

Shao Zheng would take savoury bites as if he were at a banquet for the one and only Jade Emperor. 

Meanwhile the acidic smell simply made Jiang Bolin turn up his nose at his cousin’s antics.    

Perhaps a similar obnoxious scent was the strong waft of a brush dipped in sooty ink. As he drew characters that spelled out poetry such a mundane fate was unavoidable.           

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Unlike his nephew, Grandmaster Jiang had no need for envy. He liked to think of himself as humble and extroverted but that was probably the furthest from the truth.

Throughout the Six Realms there was only one person that rivaled the cultivators of the Scorpion Flower Pharmacy in medicine, the Frozen Cloud Doctor. 

So people revered the Grandmaster of the Mystic Dragon Sect as much as they scorned him with jealousy. Yet in the face of others Grandmaster Jiang was like a glacier that remained unbothered and frozen.

However, there were exceptions to that. He often fretted over his family, and his childhood friend knew how to especially get under his skin.

Before Grandmaster Jiang’s lecture on calligraphy started he lamented the loss of his beard. “Wretched Illusionist! How could you shave it?! After all the effort it took to grow…”

“Look on the bright side you no longer appear to be an old man who’s about to fall over and die.” Lu Jingyi teased; “Now that you're chin’s hairless you're finally pleasant to look at again.”

“And that’s what I define as calling the kettle back!”

Grandmaster Jiang had spent years chasing down a divine artifact with strange properties. In layman's terms it was a magical hair growth elixir that according to myth was used by a balding prince. 

Maybe it was all for naught, because except for some slight peach fuzz he was incapable of procuring a decent beard normally. Thus should the Grandmaster ever fall ill it was a secret he was taking to the grave.   

“So you're aware this is far from over.” Grandmaster Jiang grumbled while she simply blew hot air into his ear.

“I look forward to seeing what you retaliate with next. Anyway take better care of our godson and keep an eye on your nephew.”

Of course the Mystic Dragon Sect was removed from the smaller affairs of the lesser Sect but the power games within were just as bad. 

Lu Jingyi speculated. “Most of the other Valley Lords are interested in watching fallout happen but the good thing for us is that an undeniable heir exists.”   

“If only things don’t turn out to be like a complex game of mahjong. The Alchemist Alliance might try something which will put our ties with the Scorpion Pharmacy at risk.” He sighed. 

“Will discuss the important details later and don’t forget about the meeting that’s tonight. Well, I'll be taking my leave since you have disciples to teach.” In a blink of an eye Lu Jingyi was gone.   

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What more is there to say other than that routines get boring. Yet perhaps in my solitude I had gotten lonely.

Either way other than sleeping, training with a spear, or combing through the different archives I started attending some of the lessons that were offered. 

Archery and making talisman had to be my favourite. On the other hand, calligraphy wasn’t my strong suit.    

Often I accidentally snapped the brushes in half and got ink everywhere, including on my outer robes. If only the convenience of modern day pens existed but that was not technology I knew how to replicate.

Anyway I’ve only just realized that some guy named Jiang Bolin is my cousin and the Grandmaster my uncle. Talk about weird and details that flew over my head.

When it comes to appearances Jiang Bolin has a perpetual scowl on his face so I interact with him as little as possible. Also note to self he really hates fish or is it vinegar that he detests?

Although if I remember correctly in the original novel Jiang Bolin was the Sect leader that the protagonist challenged for the Eternal Flame.

Wow just my luck but such is the life of cannon fodder...   

Nonetheless I arrived late to Grandmaster Jiang’s lecture. Yet to my shock his beard was gone and in his place a younger looking man.

The grey hairs were still there but it made me wonder who was strong enough to do such a thing. Consequently I had to stop myself from bursting out in laughter.   

Echoes of the vague plot were bound to linger. I just hoped I could keep the high ground long enough to avoid the mediocre main story. 

However, being who I am, it was impossible. Soon enough my carefree days might forlorn to be over.