Aki was a bit confused by the situation, he had thought his plan was good. Only Winter Gale should know about this mask – That was one of the key points of my plan! I haven’t really been showing it to anyone else, have I? Am I misunderstanding something? I guess I’ll try to be amiable

“What exactly do you mean, fellow Daoist? I’ve always had this mask, it’s a memento from my father”

Passionate Seeker’s frown intensified. “A flimsy lie, I have not erred with my recognition. What exactly do you think you are trying here, petty thief? That mask is my master’s property. I don’t know how you managed to get your hands on it, but thieves will be punished.”

Shit, I should have known that she would recognize things like this, I bet this mask has its own page in her notebook or something. What is this cursed luck? Running into her of all people. Wait, what is she doing?

Passionate Seeker continued working on the weaves in her hands, and Aki’s eyes went wide as he recognized the technique. Wait a minute, that technique... It’s that modified [Power Point] Winter Gale used!

His disciple smirked. “You will regret offending my master, for now you shall witness one of his personal techniques.” She threw up her hands and activated the weave. “[Power Point] technique, go!”

• “First [Bullet Point] – you have offended the great elder Thousand Lakes, your resistance is futile!”

A glob of karmic energy formed and started to fly at Aki. He tried to dodge it, without success, and it hit him. He closed his eyes in dread, awaiting the horrible fate he would have to endure. However... nothing happened.

Aki opened his eyes and looked at his apprentice. She was staring at him in shock.

“What? You managed to resist this technique? How can this be!”

Aki smirked – it felt strangely nice to be in a position like this. It was how a sect elder should be, someone who just let attacks bounce off them. “Hah, your technique is too weak!”

Passionate Seeker trembled and took a step back. “No! That was only the first part, the next part will get you!”

• “Second [Bullet Point] – I am a disciple of the great elder Thousand Lakes, your resistance is futile!”

The only futile thing here was that attack, as it achieved just as little as the last one, and did absolutely nothing to Aki. He rolled his eyes. What on earth is she doing? Does she really intend to just intimidate people with my name? It hardly seems like a good use of that power. I’ll have to give her some lessons later, this really won’t do at all. She really shouldn’t be thinking so much of me, I’m not that powerful.

“You really think that’s going to work? Your master is probably not as powerful as you think. You should stop using techniques like that.”

Passionate Seeker trembled again, but something was different. This time, she trembled with rage. Her face twisted into an expression of anger. “You dare insult my master’s power?” She asked, voice cold.

Wait a minute, I’m just talking about myself here! Why did she get so upset? Aki started backing off. “Look, I’m sure we can clear up this misunderstanding. Let’s just meet up after this trial is over and-”

His apprentice did not let him finish. She pointed a finger at Aki and formed one last karmic bullet point.

• “Third [Bullet Point] – You are dead!”

This time, Aki felt fear. As his apprentice began conjuring up a vast array of techniques, Aki realised he would have to use a technique of his own. Oh shit, time for my secret technique: [Run Away Really Fast].

Aki turned around and fled.

Passionate Seeker followed.

Aki hopped over boulders, slid down slopes and jumped over bubbling hot springs, but the chase was relentless. Wherever he went, blasts of cutting water cut apart the rocks next to him, beams of light scorched the ground behind him, and thrown rocks smashed behind him. He just barely managed to keep ahead of the techniques, bit it was a losing battle.

This isn’t going to work; I’ll eventually get hit and slowed down – then it’s all over. How exactly can I get out of this situation?

He doubted words could help at this point – his apprentice seemed to be a bit too consumed by her rage to listen to reason. Revealing his identity was also not an option – it would cause the image he had painstakingly built to crumble into nothing.

Could I lead her to some other disciples and incite the lot into a conflict? It was a workable plan, but Aki did not want to use it. Whatever I do, I can’t just sacrifice her chances in this trial for it. She is my apprentice after all, what kinds of master would I be if I harmed her chances in this trial?

A blast of water grazed his shoulder, and Aki knew he needed to act. He looked back at his apprentice, who was gaining on him rapidly. Then he looked at the terrain around him. Right now, he was standing high up in the mountains. On his right side, a sheer drop went far below the cloud curtain – he saw his opportunity.

A shame, but I guess I’ll get this back eventually. Aki, stopped, took off his mask, and held it up above his head. “Hey! You want this mask, right? Your master would be very disappointed if you failed to bring it back! It’s got to be pretty valuable, right? I bet the other disciples would be rushing to claim it for themselves.”

Passionate Seeker stopped, and frowned as she looked at Aki’s face, now revealed in all its feminine glory. “You... why does your face seem so familiar? Do I know you from somewhere?” She shook her head. “Never mind, hand over that mask!”

I’ll have to get rid of her fast, she’s too observant. She might realise my identity. “I am the mysterious rogue sword cultivator Mysterio!” Aki made his best effort at an evil smile. “And you can say goodbye to your precious mask!”

He gathered all the power of his physical body and threw the mask down the cliff at top speed. It blasted out, parting the clouds as it went through them. Aki did not linger behind afterwards and blasted away at full speed.

Passionate Seeker did not hesitate either and struck off to follow the mask. “I’ll remember you!” She shouted as she flew off.

Well, that’s going to make things difficult once I get out of this realm. The pills last a bit longer than this trial after all...

Aki did not slow down and maintained his top speed for a good while – he did not want to risk meeting his apprentice again. He saw a few other disciples here and there as he sped along the mountaintops, but not many. The place seemed very sparce. He did not see any obvious spots of power either. They must be hidden a bit better.

Eventually, after an hour of nonstop movement, Aki stopped for a breather by a pristine mountain lake. He looked at his reflection in the mirror-clear water and grimaced. With the mask gone, his face was now revealed in its full glory. Well, I guess Keen Blade was right about such disguise tools being unreliable. I’ve only been here a bit over an hour and already I lost the mask. Without the pills, I would have been completely caught out. I’ll have to thank her somehow.

He sat down beside the lake and collapsed down onto his back. Seeing the reality of how powerless he had been against his own disciple had been a tad humiliating – in a serious fight, he stood no chance at all. But I’ll need to be able to fight to get anything here, right? It’s not like I’m going to find some super-secret spot, hidden away from everyone else. If I find a good spot, someone is going to challenge me for it.

He closed his eyes and felt at the Qi around him. It was so bountiful, that he was tempted to just drop everything and sit still right there, cultivating with his usual techniques. That, however, would mean foregoing the chances offered by this realm – Aki would not do it, could not do it. His pride as a sect leader would never allow such a thing.

He rose up, eyes filled with determination. “I’m not giving up! I’ll definitely find my good fortune here!” He closed his eyes again and focused on the flow of the Qi around him. It was like a rich ocean with waves ebbing and flowing in various directions. He could, however, see the patterns in it.

Each different type of Qi seemed to follow a different sort of flow, and this time Aki focused on the flow of the water Qi around him. The lake next to him was a deep reservoir, but it was only one small outlet of a much larger whole. He sent out his spiritual sense, expanding it further and further.

As he felt at the vast masses of water Qi, he could feel the momentum in them – they were all receiving travelling in the same direction. Aki opened his eyes and looked in the direction he had sensed.

All he saw was more misty mountainscape – no trace of his target. Still, he knew it was out there. The eyes were hardly the sense to rely on for something like this. He set out, energised from having a goal again.

His senses led him deep into the cold mist, and visibility was dropping sharply. It hardly mattered to him anymore though – his spiritual sense was much more versatile than his vision. He walked forward steadily, heading deeper and deeper into a valley as the mist around him thickened.

Soon the mist around him was so thick he might as well have been breathing in pure water. Luckily, his body was powerful enough to manage something like this. He could endure, he felt his goal was close after all.

It was at the bottom of the valley that he finally felt it – a vast reservoir of water Qi. A place where the Qi had been gathering for 500 years.

It was an unassuming space, a spot just like any other down in the valley. The only thing of significance was the thickness of the mist here. I’m surprised nobody else is down here – though I do guess it’s only been a few hours. This place feels pretty big, so I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone got placed far apart from each other. Wait a minute then, how did I end up bumping into my apprentice so fast? Is some god playing tricks with me?

Aki shook the annoying thoughts out of his brain and sat down to meditate. The Water Qi here was subtly different from the type he normally used in his hot-spring type cultivation method. It was more airy, more cold. He would need to adjust his mindset a bit to be able to cultivate using it.

However, as Aki tried to focus his mind on the technique, he felt something change in the mist. It was subtle, but some sort of change was there. He decided to ignore whatever it was and continue focusing on his breathing technique.

His mind fell into a calm trance, which was soon broken once he realised something concerning. The water on his skin was not condensation from the mist around him. It was sweat. And the mists around him – they could not really be called mist anymore. No, steam was a more apt word. Things were getting hot.

Wait a minute, what’s going on with the mist here? Is this a natural thing, or is someone turning this valley into a sauna? He sent out his spiritual sense, expanding it to cover the whole valley. He felt someone slowly walking closer to him, a figure wrapped in hot steam.

A chill ran down Aki’s spine. This valley was not being turned into a sauna – no, it was being turned into a [Sauna]. Oh yes, Aki recognized what was going on. It was a technique he was pretty familiar with.

Ever since those blasted Midnight Sun Hall disciples had created their own hellish sauna techniques, Aki had been quietly monitoring them. He had been hoping that the disciples would tire of their infernal pursuits, but to his dismay they had only fallen further down them. The [Sauna] they used for their techniques had been steadily growing hotter and hotter, and the steam from it had started billowing outside, raising complaints from other disciples.

Aki had been rather amused when he read the report on that incident, but he was less amused now. This time he was the victim of the technique. What the hell is my luck? First it was Passionate Seeker, and now I’m running into my sect’s [Sauna] enthusiasts! Am I being taunted? I won’t surrender! I am the master of the [Sauna] here!

He felt the figure steadily walking closer and closer to him, and the steam correspondingly growing hotter and hotter. It was not just the heat, it was also the density. It was almost like the air itself was being turned to water far above its natural boiling point. Aki felt himself sweat more, and tried to focus on cultivating the water Qi, but it was futile – the heat was too distracting.

The approaching figure stopped a bit away from Aki, and he felt apprehension. Soon a voice called out from the steam.

“Someone has withstood my [Infernal Heat Sauna] technique from this close? You are a powerful one indeed! It is always a pleasure to meet fellow [Sauna] aficionados.”

A vein pulsed on Aki’s forehead. He abandoned his meditating pose and glared into the mists. “Your techniques are a mockery of the true [Sauna]. This technique is a farce, never call yourself a [Sauna] aficionado again!”

“Hah! That is what many have said before, but eventually our techniques always manage to convert people into followers. Stay near me long enough, and you too will find the pleasure of scalding heat!”

Aki felt horror deep inside him. They’ve been recruiting? No, he said converting! He definitely said converting! Just what is happening inside my sect, is a cult of masochist sauna freaks spreading its tendrils?

Aki grimaced. This was really not a situation he wanted to be in – his disciple was still a ways away from him, but already he could barely stand the heat. He would lose this fight, but he did not particularly want to win it either. That would just be depriving a disciple of his from a chance at gaining fortune. What kind of sect leader would he be if he did that?

Sure, it was supposed to be an individual competition where even fellow sect members would compete against each other, but Aki was not just a fellow sect member, he was the damn sect leader. Sure, his powers may not be that great, but morally he felt that he should be above his disciples – challenging them and taking their bounties did not feel right.

Aki grit his teeth and abandoned the spot, flying out from the mists. He would leave this battle, but he would not give up. Surely there would be more spots of power out there, just waiting to be claimed. Still, he felt exhausted from his trials for the day. First, he had been struck down by Passionate Seeker, then by a [Sauna] freak. All his own teachings were being used to humble him – it was a bit bad for his ego.

Still, Aki knew one sure way to make things look up after a bad spell – a good nights sleep. The other disciples might use all their limited time in the realm in a feverish rush for power, but Aki was different. A good rest was important – he felt that if he just rushed off again, he would only face another failure.

Waking up after a good rest always gave him a new perspective on thing, and he was sure things would go better the next day. Aki was travelling light in this realm, but he had made sure to take along one critical thing – a small but comfortable bedroll.

He set out in search of a nice place for a rest and settled on a cave next to a bubbling hot spring. The place was out of the way and did not seem to be particularly rich in Qi. He was sure that he could get a good undisturbed rest here. He spread out his bedroll and tucked himself in for the night.

He found it a bit difficult to fall asleep – perhaps because of the trials of the day. As he tried to relax his mind, he felt something strange tugging at his consciousness. On a whim, he decided to try some basic breathing techniques while relaxing his mind.

To his surprise, he felt something click with the breathing techniques, and found himself slipping into sleep almost immediately – but this was not ordinary sleep.

Aki woke up immediately, but he knew he was still sleeping too. It was strange... he looked around and saw a void filled with dazzling colours. Is this a lucid dream or something?

He tried sending out his spiritual sense, and to his surprise, he found it working. An even bigger surprise – this realm, whatever it was, was absolutely filled with some type of strange Qi – much more full than the reality outside had been at any point. Aki closed his eyes and felt the Qi flowing towards a point of power far in the distance. Aki only had one thought.

Oh great, looks like I’m not getting any actual sleep tonight.

zechamp

Quite a lot happened in this chapter. Poor Aki, usually a student surpassing the master is a moment of celebration, but what about a master desperately trying to catch up?