“So what have you been up to?” Huan asks while pointedly swirling the liquor at the bottom of her cup until Suwan refills it. “I’m sure you saw.” “It’s different to hear it.” Suwan rakes a hand through her hair. “Where do I begin?” “Start with the Gao.” “Yeah, I messed up there.” She admits with a chuckle while looking down at the energetic girl fondly. Huan adjusts her position on the mound to face Suwan without getting up. “Makes sense. We are weak to force users after all. I’d never have ended up founding a clan if it weren’t for Ren’s constant pestering.”
Suwan agrees with a dumbfounded nod. 'That makes so much sense, bound to be impulsive eventually if they keep it up long enough.' The thought makes her grumble.
“Go on.”
“It took me way too long to figure out what she was doing with her Qi Blast, still took it too lightly afterwards too.”
“Indeed. The little Gao stumbled onto a potent last resort but it should never have been more than that. The backlash from her technique did not just destroy her arm, Suwan. It damaged her cultivation heavily, had I not restored her to full strength she would forever be crippled.”
“Shit, that’s far worse than I thought.” Suwan grimaces. “I’m not ready for this at all, how can I teach them lessons I know so little about myself?”
“Every student requires a different method.” Huan replies with a far off look in her eyes. “I had not expected you to take a disciple so soon, you yet lack the experience to do so correctly. I sent you out into the world to temper yourself, not burden yourself with attachments. Part of the blame is mine but that does not change that you must now take responsibility and teach them properly. I shall assist you but I have no intention to hold your hand, I'm tossing you all out in a few days at best.” Huan raises her cup to the air, lowers it to her mouth and spits in it before tossing its contents into the distance. “An old friend of mine once said the further along one travels upon the road of cultivation the more likely it is they shall find themselves with a disciple, regardless of whether they want to or not. Fuck him I say, our will’s our own.”
Suwan snorts, deciding not to comment on the fact the woman next to her has taken forty seven personal disciples so far without even mentioning her clan. “How did you handle it, Teacher?”
“It was different. I have always traveled in a group. We taught each other as much as we learned. Me, Ren Zhong, Zri Yong, Thataka, Xie Ru, Wu and Pavana to name but a few. By the time I found a disciple I had veritable centuries of experience teaching and learning.” She raises a hand to forestall Suwan’s question when she sees her eyes widen while listening to the names of her companions. “That is not for me to speak of, Disciple. Your battles are your own, I shall not present the answers to you on a platter.”
“If you say so.” Suwan mutters.
“I do.” Huan replies, nipping her complaints in the bud. “Let’s move on.”
“Not even gonna try to justify An, well, you know what maybe I am. Sure at first I let her stick with us just to annoy Mu but she’s diligent and devoted. Perhaps a little too devoted but I'm sure she’ll be able to temper the worst of Mu’s outbursts and vice versa in time. Zhi was a lucky find, I messed up big time failing to teach Mu and found an unpolished gem. She’s gonna need a lot of work but I believe she’s more than worth it. As for Yating… I couldn’t not take her with me. I nearly messed up again and did anyway but I'm glad I took her along.”
“Each of those are excellent examples of why you’re not ready but I digress. You were not wrong in your explanation about fated encounters, despite the fact that yes, you did only say that to trick Mu. That does not absolve you of responsibility however, in the end it was still your choice. Zhi and An are both remarkable talents, to let them wither away would be a grave injustice. The Tai is… somewhat below acceptable standards but I can see your mind's made. I won’t fight you on it, even I cannot see all futures, it may yet end up being a good thing.”
They fall into a comfortable silence at that while observing the proceedings below. Gao Mu balances atop a set of poles standing at various heights and goes through a wide variety of poses under Twelve’s watchful gaze. An sits in a lotus pose near them, her breath coming slowly whilst she sinks deeper and deeper into a meditative trance. Further downhill on flat ground atop a finely woven blanket Yating and Zhi pore over a scroll, the latter with scrunched brow while the former calmly points out several symbols and offers explanation. It is only once their bottle runs dry that the Songs put their contemplations aside and move away from the fine fabrics making up their mountainous throne.
“Greetings, little Gao. Is old longtooth still around?”
In response to Huan’s casual inquiry Mu immediately hops off the poles and bows deeply.
“Grand Disciple Gao Mu greets Grand Master Song Huan.” Her voice cracks midway through her sentence as if she cannot believe the words she is saying. “Are you perhaps referring to Ancestor Sabretooth, Venerable Song?”
“Oh is that what he goes by now, pft.” She snorts melodiously, an action that makes Suwan raise an eyebrow in surprise. ‘Of course she’d manage to make even a snort seem elegant.’ “How’s my disciple been treating you, little one?”
“Master, please stop teasing my disciple.”
“Daww but she’s so cute!”
“That she is.”
Gao Mu lights up like a paper lantern, her emotions spinning between embarrassment and indignation like a carousel. She pouts fiercely eliciting a laugh from the blondes. Suwan rolls her eyes at the wry look her master is giving her. In moments the pugilist has gone from seeing her as a living legend to simply one of Suwan’s acquaintances.
“Take a seat, grand disciple of mine.” Huan says with a kind smile and gestures at the three pillows that appear out of nowhere causing another giddy rush to course through Mu. “Let us talk about your techniques. For a force user the Gao clan’s methods are ideal, your usage of them however is far too early. Your teacher has already explained that it damages you but she may not have fully impressed upon you just how damaging it is. When you made your way here did you perchance notice that your steps took more and more effort the longer you continued and that your Qi did not flow as easily?”
“Y- yeah but- but I had a fever and lost an arm. It’s only normal that I'd be out of it for a while because of that right?” Mu questions anxiously. The fear on her face is plainly visible when Huan shakes her head.
“The backlash from your failed attack wreaked havoc on your meridians. Had I not treated you that would have been the end of your immortal path, your spiritual veins would have broken down further and you would in time have degraded back to mortality entirely.” A hint of Huan’s majesty shows in her eyes as she releases part of her aura to let Mu read the sincerity in her words. “There is no excuse for this and as her master I apologize for this failure. I do not expect you to forgive her. I only hope you can still trust her after this.”
“P- please don’t apologize to this lowly one, Immortal Soulfire. The fault lies with me, Master told me I shouldn’t use this anymore, it’s me that disobeyed her!”
“As you say, Grand Disciple. Let us put the matter aside then.”
Self loathing and anger at Huan’s manipulation war within Suwan’s mind at seeing Mu vouch for her so sincerely. She reminds herself to never underestimate the old monster’s wiles again, a pledge she has both made and broken countless times before.
“Mu of the Gao, I understand it shall be frustrating to refrain from using such a powerful technique after learning it. There is no shame in this feeling, one must simply use it correctly. Channel it to push yourself to greatness. No matter what, always remember, the path of cultivation is cultivating the self, not simply increasing your strength. You may believe you are improving too slowly but on this I must disagree. You have gained willpower far beyond the norm. You do not shy away when faced with obstacles, instead you force your way through head on. While this must be tempered so it does not reach an extreme it is a greatly beneficial mindset. Hold your head high, Gao Mu. You are a disciple of Song.”
“Thank you, Grand Master!” Gao Mu replies with a goofy smile, practically glowing under the praise. It still feels unreal to her, to not only meet the one she’s heard stories of since she was young but to talk to her and even receive her disciple’s teachings. For a moment she feels guilty for simply thinking of Suwan as Song Huan’s disciple and casts a nervous glance her way as if she could read her mind. Suwan hurriedly puts a carefree smile on her face when she does.
“Take it easy, Mu. Slow down for a while and focus on the basics alright?”
“Yes Master!” Mu exclaims and hops back up. She bows her head and clasps her fist in hand before rushing back to the poles and continuing her exercises with renewed energy. Suwan shakes her head and smiles, only she’d hear ‘take it easy’ and redouble her efforts to comply. She turns to Huan with a frown when she feels the immortal’s aura turn stifling and sharp.
“Come here, doll.”
Twelve stiffly obeys. She creakily walks over to them with slow steps, her emotionless face not giving away any of her thoughts without her antics putting them on display. She demurely takes Mu’s place on the pillow while keeping her head down and her fingers curled up on her knees. Suwan leans over to encouragingly squeeze her hand.
“What is your name, doll?”
“Twelve.”
“How many of your kind did he create.”
“Tw- This lowly one is one of twelve siblings. This lowly one does not believe any others have survived the ravages of time in their powered down state.”
Suwan’s eyes narrow when she hears Twelve cut off her gag preemptively and puts a hand on hers. She inches closer to her when she notes the doll hardly even registers her touch, her entire being focused on appeasing Huan.
“Hmph. As a courtesy to my disciple I shall refrain from destroying you here and now but make no mistake. I will be keeping an eye on you, creation of the grand calamity. You have one chance and no more, slip into his ways and I shall wipe you from existence without a second thought.”
“Wow, Master, what?” Suwan questions exasperatedly. She looks back and forth between the two yet neither seem the least bit interested in explaining what just occurred. Twelve’s head drops a little lower at Suwan’s questioning gaze.
“You are dismissed. I shall tolerate your existence for now, do not make me regret it.”
“This lowly one offers a thousand thanks for Venerable Soulfire’s mercy.” Twelve replies immediately while kowtowing and promptly flashing away. Huan casually places down three cups on the table in between the pillows. The pillows that until a second ago were close enough to each other to touch. She gestures impatiently at Suwan to fill the three cups now standing atop it with the steaming kettle next to it that’s been there since before they sat down. Ignoring her disciple’s mutterings about incomprehensible habits Song Huan turns to face the mortal meditating intently mere meters away from them.
“Eavesdropping is not a good habit, little mortal. Take heed, your attempt was skillful but you cannot fool those of our level. Now come over here. Let us discuss your future.”
An gulps at the living legend’s tone.
