The door to Zhi’s shack flies from its hinges. Five rugged thugs step through the broken frame, one holding a bruised child in front of him.

“Open up Zhi. Where’s my fookin’ money ya bitch.” 

No voice answers them, only the creaking of the stairs. One step at a time a small figure moves down them. First black flats come into view with fiery orange pants just above it. Over the pants hangs a similarly orange jacket with a black lining at the edges and around the buttons. A black cloth belt completes her ensemble, it would have made quite the intimidating picture had she been the slightest bit taller. Gao Mu twitches at the thought. 'I’m not short!'

Her cloth wrapped hair buns jiggle with each step she takes, only those buns however she cries inside. With a fierce look in her eyes she glares at the intruders, only in part due to their own transgressions. The thugs gulp, for a second they could have sworn the ethereal image of a tiger overlaid her, transfixing them with its gaze.

“Zhi’s not here. Fix the door and get out.”

“Yeah i dun think so lil missy.” Gao’s fist clenches.

“Uhm, boss, don’t she look like one of dem-”

“Think, Washy, da fook would a cultivator be doing in this dump? All just a game a’ pretend I tell ya. Kid didn’t even see a fight, just heard sum screams.”

He prods the child he’s holding in the ribs. The girl cries out, shame, guilt and pain warring on her face. 

“Let her go and get out, I'm not giving any more warnings.”

“Washy, shut ‘er up. Mind her face, if we kent ransom her we ken always sell ‘er off.”

The thug threateningly walks towards her, a leer on his face while he pats his hand with the broken plank he’s holding. With a grunt he swings it at her side. He groans when his strike is stopped short before it lands, a slender palm wrapping around his wrist. Mu forms two fingers into a point and jabs him three times. The man’s eyes widen in fear when his limbs refuse to obey his commands. Dramatically Mu lets go while glaring at the remaining four delinquents. She pokes a single finger into his forehead, eyes locked with the leader as 'Washy' topples over. 

If they paid closer attention to her they would notice the excited smile threatening to creep up her lips as she tries to control herself. 'Ancestors that must have looked so cool, you pulled it off, Gao Mu!' She encourages herself in her mind. Fearfully the thugs take a step back in response to her taking one forward.

“Oy, da fook happened to the door? Big Man, is that you? Think ya ken just walk inta my house like tha’ ya miserable lil runt?”

“Wouldn’ be havin’ a problem right now if ya paid back whatcha owed, bitch.”

“Bugger off, asshat. I dun’ owe ya shit.”

“Zhi, Zhi. That ain’t how it works. Interest racks up, so what if ya paid what ah lentcha?”

“Whatcha gave. And then turned da fook around and demanded back months later. Ah paid back every last crumb ya gave. Fook off ‘fore we make ya.”

Utterly peeved Zhi stands in the doorway, hands clenched into fists and a mean glare on her mug. The thugs share a glance, stuck between the two. When it comes to choosing between fighting the unknown cultivator or ganging up on Zhi and booking it the choice is obvious.  All four rush her. Zhi’s eyes widen for a moment before she lashes out first. Her target doesn’t have time to react before a fist hits him in the face knocking him out cold.

She looks nearly as surprised as her opponents. In too far to back down the remaining three rush in side by side, the width of the corridor barely enough to let them stand shoulder to shoulder. Zhi takes a blow on one arm and punching back with the other. A second foe takes a kick to the gut and goes flying through the ramshackle wall next to him. Crossing her arms to block the third she raises a cocky eyebrow.

“Big sis, behind you!” The bruised child shouts from behind a crate.

With a loud thunk a big piece of wood smashes into the back of Zhi’s head. In a daze she sways to the side. She curses seeing a fist come straight for her face. With a sickening crack the offending arm breaks over Mu’s knee. Ignoring the pained scream the pugilist delivers a chop to the back of his head, the thug taking the remainder of the door frame down with him as he drops.

“Leave this to me, Zhi! I can handle them!”

“Fook that, t’is my fight.”

With a shrug Mu steps out to face the crowd. Zhi cracks her neck and knuckles as she surveys their opposition. In any other situation she would have felt petrified facing down a dozen more while wounded. With her new power and Gao Mu by her side all she feels is excitement. Grinning animalistically she rushes in. Dropping the first with a punch she leaps over another and slams down with a drop kick. Using the momentum of a club smashing into the back of her shoulder she spins around and drops a third with a roundhouse kick. A fist lashes out. She takes it on the chin, spitting out blood with a laugh she headbutts her assailant in reply. Jerking back when she sees a knife lash out at her she notices another coming at her too late. 

Mu’s hand flows over the back of the opponent’s hand, painfully clenching around his wrist and ripping the knife from his fingers. She twists his arm around his back to bring him to his knees.

“Zhi, eyes open! You’ll die if you don’t.”

With a spearpoint jab to one of the man’s pressure points Mu drops him. Seeing the remainder begin to hesitate she rushes them all and in the blink of an eye they drop. Zhi can barely believe her eyes, even her enhanced perception unable to keep track. Mu pouts while walking back.

“Boring, these people aren’t a threat at all! It’s been days since I had a proper fight. I finally got my hopes up but they were so weak. Geez, thinking they can rob us when they’re that pathetic. They couldn’t even put a scratch on me.”

“Aye, kent harm ya.” Zhi’s expression darkens. She squares her shoulders and walks over to the battered child with slow steps, each resounding through the quiet building like a gavel dropping. “Get out, dun show yerself here again.”

Mu moves in front of her, disbelief plain on her face. She frantically gestures at the child. 

“Zhi, you can’t be serious! She’s hurt!”

“Traitor’s what the brat is, bi’ch led em here, nah?”

“She’s all beaten up! Do you think she wanted to bring them here.”

“Dun matter.”

“Wha- What are you saying? How can you be that cold!”

With a snarl Zhi rams Mu into the wall. Furiously she punches the ramshackle planks next to her head, the sound of breaking wood echoing while Mu stands frozen. She rears back her fist once more before deflating.

“Are ya dat much of an idyit? Ain’tcha seen anythin’? Must be nice up there on y’r mountains.”

“Excuse me! What is that supposed to mean, Zhi! Just because you’re a bit more experienced than me doesn’t mean I’m dumb. Why can’t she just stay? Why are you making this a problem?”

With a palm on her forehead Zhi heaves out a sigh. Unconsciously her other hand holds her side while she replies, spelling things out one by one as if she were talking to a child.

“Why d’ya think they were ‘ere, Gao? Dey heard of a fancy gal frolickin’ ‘round the place, showing off with her fookin silks and tossin’ around coin. Ya think they’d ‘ave just buggered back off if they didn’ find any gold ‘ere?” She pokes her in the chest. “Da hells d’ya think this place is, Gao Mu. Look around’cha. Ain’t evah wonder why there’s so many girls ‘round here?”

“What do you-”

“Cause they’re fookin safe here, ya naive brat! Unless some fookin’ idyet stirs shite up we ain’t bothered. Ya kent imagine what’d have ‘appened if ya were a bit weaker? If ya weren’t ‘ere when dey showed up?” She brings a hand to the back of her head and pulls it back covered in blood. Mu pales. Mouth opening and closing she attempts to reply but is unable to find the words.

“Ah’d be dead for one and hells, if ah didn’t have yer bullshite powers ah mighta been dead now anyway. Dey ain’t gonna go back with empty fookin pockets eitha, dat’s for sure. Half the people ‘ere woulda been sold off!”

Losing her fervor she sags and mechanically tosses an unconscious intruder out. Chuckling hollowly she slams the door back into the remains of its frame and turns her head to give Mu a last look before heading up the stairs.

“This ain’tcher fairy tale mountain, Gao Mu. Treacherous cunt sold us out ta save ‘er own skin. Half the kids ‘ere woulda lived their lives out in some brothel and those’d be de lucky ones. Reality’s different down ‘ere. Do whateva ya want, not like ah ken stop ya.”

Unsure what to do, Mu simply watches her go. She awkwardly scratches her arm, looking between the crying child and the stairs. Finally she kneels in front of her with a kind smile and ruffles her hair.

“Don’t worry, I’ll convince her.”

“She- she’s right. I’m so sorry, i’m so sorry. I didn’t want to die! I’m so sorry.” Patting her head she hugs her. “It’s all gonna be fine, don’t worry. I’m here now! I’ll convince Zhi!” 

With a raised thumb and a wink she heads up the stairs. She catches Zhi muttering to herself while pacing back and forth.

"...should be a week 'fore they're back… place's busted, won't do fer shelter… call in my last favors? No, kent make it through winter if ah do now…"

"Zhi?"

"...strike first and take theirs?... nah, can't guard the place day and night…"

"Zhi."

"...no way we can skip town with all of us… fook, what the hells am ah supposed ta do..."

"Zhi!"

Startled she whirls around with fists raised. Seeing Mu she lowers them once more and leans back against the desk.

“Zhi, I came to apologise. I wasn’t thinking about what you have had to go through in the past but things are different now, I'm here now, you don’t need to do things like this anymore.”

“Yah, yer here now. Ken ah still count on ya a month from now? You gon stay in this dump ferever?”

“That’s… We’ll find a way! I know we can figure something out!”

“ ‘eard that one ‘fore. Hah. Ideals kent stop ya from starvin’. Ah need to keep these kids alive, Mu, ah kent just toss it all on some harebrained scheme.”

“Hmph. Your doubts in Venerable Mu’s words are despicable, apologize at once!”

“Fook off, An.”

With a scoff An steps to the side, bows and waves a hand to the door.

“Behave yourself properly, Zhi. We have company.”

“Geez, what happened here?”

“Master, you’re back! I thought something happened!”

“What?”

“You were gone for so long!”

“... Mu, it’s only been a few days. We’re cultivators. Days are like seconds to us. How likely is it that something could happen to people like us in such a short time?”

Gao Mu frantically gestures at the building. Pointedly ignoring her, Suwan cranes her brow.

“So, what were y’all fighting about?”

Mu’s eyes dart anywhere other than at Suwan. Zhi gulps. Quiet panic sets in, for a street rat like her to argue against the disciple of a powerful cultivator is to court death. She tries to calm herself, fighting against years of inbuilt habits to convince herself Suwan wouldn’t just off her like that. Gao Mu freezes in place, one finger raised.

“Uhm, Master.”

“Yeah?”

“What’s that?” She points at the doll hanging limply from Suwan’s arm. With several loud cracks its neck twists to face her. “Boo.”

Zhi jumps hard enough to hit the ceiling, her head leaving a hole in the roof. A new legend spreads through the slums in the coming days. A legend of a vengeful banshee come to break down your door and take your soul. Few know the origin of this tale and Gao Mu will forever frantically denies she screeched hard enough to be heard several blocks away. Suwan snorts.

“Come now, you two, so easily scared. Look at An, she didn’t even flinch.”

“Sister Suwan.” 

“Yeah?”

“She is not blinking.” The doll deadpans.

Suwan waves a hand in front of An’s face. Not getting any reaction she pokes her shoulder. Like a statue the girl topples over.

“Huh, did she faint standing up? That’s impressive in its own way.” With a sigh she looks at each of the three in turn. “Boy, do y’all have a loooong way to go.”

 

-----

After making sure nothing would catch on fire the very moment they leave Suwan leads her disciple, Zhi and An to a hill at the center of a clearing an hour’s minute walk from the city. Zhi groans while putting down the heavy washbasin she’s been carrying the whole time. Taking out the three buckets within it Suwan hands one to each of the girls before pointing them at a stream near the hill’s base. She leisurely sits down against a tree while watching them scamper back and forth. Once the nearly bath sized washbasin is full she claps her hands and addresses the panting trio.

“Alright, let’s get started with then shall we.”

“Yes, Master!” “A thousand thanks, Grand Master Suwan.” “As you say, Venerable Suwan.”

An’s eyes sparkle, heart thumping loudly at the honor of being not only taught but taught personally by a venerable cultivator. Zhi appears skittish, disbelief hidden under layers of skepticism and more than a tinge of fear. Mu on the other hand has a wide smile on her face, without any hesitation she tosses off her clothes and clenches her fists in determination. Suwan awkwardly scratches her cheek.

“Ah, you, uhm, you can keep them on this time, Mu.”

A cool breeze blows through the clearing, grass swaying and stray leaves flying past. Mu’s face whitens, stiffly she crouches down to pick up what she’d just tossed off. The silence is so palpable one can hear a nail drop.

“What are you doing?” Suwan asks with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sister.” Twelve replies while letting another thin piece of metal slip out of her hand.

“Where did you even get- you know what it doesn’t matter. Anyway,” She claps once more, “You three, come at me.”

Zhi and An share a hesitant glance, a brief look at the empty-eyed Mu increasing their panic.

“Ay, ay, Suwan. You have not even explained anything, how can you expect them to fight you already?”

“Hi, how are you, Fu? Me? I’m fine, thanks for asking!” She smiles teasingly.

“Hah, so easily angered, hit the mark there did I not, Suwan?”

“What even brings you here? Can’t imagine the Venerable Young Lord Jin coincidentally finding this place while on a stroll?”

“Indeed, indeed. My informants let me know you had returned so I came to check out the progress of my representative’s training.”

“Your representative?”

“Oh, had I not informed you? It is tradition for one’s disciples to compete during the banquet to show the future prosperity of your clan. That is part of the reason I invited you, since I have not yet taken a disciple yours can represent the Jin.”

Suwan rubs the bridge of her nose, glaring at him with an exasperated expression. 

“You can’t seriously expect us to just go along with that for no reason.”

“Well, I’d say I wouldn’t make you do it for free but this lowly Fu hardly has anything to offer the Venerable Suwan. Nonetheless, if it is within my power, ask and ye shall receive!”

“Uhm, Master.”

Mu demurely clears her throat and raises her hand, having broken out of her fugue she shyly looks to the side while twirling a finger through her hair.

“There… there is, well,…”

Fu gulps at the glare he receives from Suwan. If looks could kill, he thought, this hill would be the next Scorched Lands. Puffing out his chest and giving Mu an appraising look he prepares to meet his death.

“Yes, Disciple Gao. What do you desire?” He facepalms internally over his phrasing, Suwan’s glare increasing in intensity.

“Uhm, well… There’s, uhm, there’s a group of children i’m kind of in charge of now and, uhm, we got into a fight with some other group and their house broke a little. Do you know anywhere else they could stay?”

“Ah, a trivial favor. I shall have a mansion prepared for your use after the clan meet. Consider it a gift for representing me.” Fu exhales in relief, once more praising the power of wealth solving his problems. “Let us put that aside for now, take a seat! This Young Master shall teach you the ways of cultivation.”

He raises his nose to the sky and puts his fists on his hips. The girls glance over to Suwan. Seeing she is already back to napping under the tree all four of them line up in front of Fu and sit down on their knees. He begins his lecture, raising his fingers one at a time.

“Cultivation at its essence is the improvement of oneself. Through mastering Qi one rises above the yoke of mortality. To do so one must first purge themselves of impurities and Gather Qi within their bodies. Secondly one must increase the density of this ethereal qi into a liquid to form their spiritual ocean and attune it to Establish a Foundation for your immortal path. With one’s path set in stone one must compress the entirety of their qi within one’s dantian and Form it into the very Core of their being. This allows the cultivator to perceive the differences between their body and their self, giving them the ability to perceive their Nascent Soul. Finally one must separate themselves fully from their body, becoming one with the world and attaining true Immortality.”

With five fingers raised he looks at each of them in turn. Having long since learned oddities tend to surround Suwan he doesn’t question the presence of a street rat, an unawakened mortal or a sentient doll in the slightest. 

“Each of those are divided into stages, can any of you tell me how many there are within each of the five Realms.”

“Twelve.”

“Correct, ah I didn’t quite catch your name.”

“Twelve.”

“Oh ancestors, she's doing it again.” Crossing his arms he looks over Suwan who is in the process of burying her face in her palms. “Why are you even taking part in these lessons, Twelve?” 

“To judge.”

“Oh ho, you believe you are worthy of judging this Jin Fu, little doll?”

“Drop it, Fu, she’s powerful.”

“Ay ay, you’re saying even your little doll could best me? You wound me, Suwan.” He theatrically places a hand over his heart, the back of his other hand on his forehead while he leans his head back dramatically. She snorts. “Might even be able to take both of us at the same time.”

Fu halts in place, eyebrows reaching the stratosphere. Mu gasps in amazement, looking back and forth between the three with admiration. Zhi pinches her arm, unable to believe the conversation she’s hearing. An sits ramrod straight, desperately attempting not to look to her left and dreading the fact she is sitting right next to the artificial humanoid. Silence stretches until it is broken by the very cause of it.

“This one is unsure whether she can take you both, Sister. This one is unfamiliar with Sir Jin’s size. This one has yet to fully discover how far her body can be stretched. Query: Can thou assist with solving this mystery, Sister Suwan?”

Coughing into his sleeve Fu desperately looks for a way to change the subject.

“Ho ho, that is high praise from one with a mastery as profound as our dear Suwan. If I might ask, how much stronger would you be?” Her neck creaks as it turns back to face him. “If this one had to put an exact measure on it, this one would say…”

Fu leans forward in anticipation, craning his ears to ensure he wouldn’t miss a word.

“...Twelve.”

 

-----

 

“That covers the basics, any further questions?” Fu asks, looking at each of the three students in turn. “No? Then that concludes this lesson, with the theory covered Suwan should be able to handle the rest.” “Oy are you saying i couldn’t have explained this myself?” “Well then I should be going, lots to do, lots to do, best of luck on your path to immortality everyone.”

Fu rushes away with a comically fast gait. With a groan Suwan stands up and stretches. She suppresses a smirk upon seeing two pairs of eyes glued to her bosom, lengthening the duration of her stretch just the tiniest bit to bask in their attention. With a winsome smile she faces her disciples.

“Now then, time to get the real lesson started.”