Xu’s Perspective
“Are we done with the scouting?” Xu yelled from the deepest depths of a cave in a random location deep in the southeastern sector of the Outer Ring. “I’m tired of this fucking cave!”
“Hold for just a couple more hours.” The reply came from a quiet stern looking man who had been given the name Murakami from Tieh Lei. He stood directly outside of the small room some of the other former Elixir slaves had created with their bare hands. Sonja and Storm will be within that time with the final report on our surroundings.
Xu frowned as he leafed through a book concentrating on reading the language he had been learning across the few days of his week of freedom. His reading level had nearly reached the average level of an adult from nothing within this period of time. As the time passed and his eyes ran more and more smoothly across the lines in the book his heart pounded loudly in his head. Frowning he tried to ignore his blood rushing outside of his control.
Knock Knock Knock!
Xu jumped up, book in hand, and walked out the door to see a group of faces. He nodded and they all walked towards the main area where 29 rough stone seats had been carved. Xu looked around at their threadbare clothes and filthy skin. The differences of each individual had greatly expanded after becoming artificial soldiers.
Where they had once been unified by near starvation the silver runes on their spines had quickly altered their physiques to greatly heightened levels. Sonka towered everyone his big bush of black hair boosting his height to over 7 and a half feet tall towering over the others. But somehow when Xu walked out and his mysterious swirling silver eyes swept over everyone their eyes naturally followed his. With a smirk he nodded and sat down everyone immediately joining him. Despite half a dozen of the members unsatisfied with him being leader the same word swept through all 28 minds at once. Charisma
After everyone sat down Xu waved the book in his hands. “To understand our past is to control our future.”
The books' title was 5 impactful words. A Study of Elixir Humans. “This book explains everything. An Elixir human is one of two types of people with a particular use. A mortal with a genetic ability called a bloodline power or a cultivator who reached a higher stage of cultivation before being crippled. Their body stays in a half transformed state and has essentially special blood.”
Everybody nodded, the wheels in their recently enhanced minds turning. “Exactly,” Xu continued with his forehead creasing. “It’s like Tieh Lei said. This is not the end for us. We all have the rare bloodline powers. The reason he chose me must be because my bloodline quality is incredibly high.”
The others nodded. Xu frowned. “We wanted to understand where we came from. We had 2 phrases. Elixir Human and Adamantine Path. Murakami you’ve been in charge of infiltration and information gathering. Report.”
“Yes, well the world is massive. Normal people group up into massive structures called Cities. They build these cities and people stay inside the city walls by choice. The cultivators group up in these cities to learn and grow and protect the people they care about,” Murakami paused breathlessly his eyes shining. Xu smoothly interrupted his report with a question. “Where do they learn and grow? Is there a way to obtain that ability or copy it?”
“Yes!”
Xu’s eyes lit up at the definitive answer.
“They have teachers and libraries. If we join their specific groups we can obtain their teachings and borrow their books,” Murakami continued.
“How many books?” Xu frowned thoughtfully as he looked down at the book in his lap.
“Biggest library I saw should have at least a million books in it,” Murakami announced to complete silence. Xu froze for a moment before suddenly grinning widely his silver eyes swirling eerily in reverse. “I have to see it!”
“Now?” Murakami asked a startled look in his eyes
“Now! To the City!” The others looked shocked as Xu stood up and rapidly strode out of the room with Murakami right behind him.
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Sprinting east through the forest Xu silently ran through a mental map of the Three Ring Universe. A vividly circular land mass atop a mostly water planet. The continent was split by heavenly laws into four invisible sections forming three rings around the continent. There were four massive rivers haphazardly divided the continent even further into into different quadrants. The elixir farm was located in the most northeastern portion of the Southeastern quadrant of the Outer Ring. Where Xu and the others had regained their footing after days of fleeing was as deeply south as they could go. They were within 50 miles of two different port cities, a cultivators paradise city dominated by a sect called the Rainbow Fire Sect. This was the city that they were heading to. Though Xu didn’t understand the system of Cities he understood one thing. Books might be able to answer all of his questions.
Within ten minutes they now were within ten miles of the city and Xu’s jaw clenched. Looking at the unassailable walls he was so focused that he didn’t immediately respond to Murakami’s instructions to slow down. “Ah my bad,” he shouted back his feet digging furrows in the dirt as he dug his heels in and waited for Murakami to reach him. Their long black hair swirled in the air as their very different facial features blended into the small flow of people on the main road. As they walked multiple sniffs and mutters resounded around them as the word homeless and beggar resounded. As they reached the gate Murakami smoothly smiled at the guards on duty and stated that he and “his young friend” were hermits here to see the sights. The guard, barely an adult by any standard, waved them in dismissively as he had seen Murakami come and go the day before.
Xu’s eyes widened as his senses were assailed by sights and sounds and smells of happiness as large amounts of people comfortably rushed around. Murakami quickly pulled Xu to the side away from traffic as Xu’s swirling silver eyes and youthful face seemed to look almost childish in the face of a world he couldn’t have imagined without seeing. Luxurious sounds, the smell of fancy restaurants and artificial colors of such vibrancy that they directly stunned him.
“This is the commercial district. The residential districts are to the south and the industries are further east. To reach the Sects and other government areas we have to go northeast.” Murakami quickly pulled out two dirty cups with a few silvery discs in each. “Hunch over, avoid eye contact and shake the cup every 14 steps. If someone puts something inside just nod but don’t look or speak.” Xu nodded and followed Murakami through the city enraptured by the sights, sounds and smells. It’s magical. Incredible.
Murakami suddenly changed directions as they walked approaching stone steps that led to a grand 5 story building. Murakami mouthed library as they sat against a pillar and occasionally shook their cups. As they sat and shook their cups Murakami whispered at Xu. “So what’s the plan boss.” Smirking at the title Xu didn’t immediately answer as he quietly analyzed the structure.
“What if we just stole the whole thing?”
