Qi Like Tar

Paike was lost in thought as he headed back. He was slightly worried about Guan Li, but figured that the elder wouldn't be overly harsh on him for the interruption, judging by his curious response. Aside from this event, Guan Li had done well in learning the rules and adjusting to the cultivator culture.

The transition from mortal culture to immortality was quite the change, and there were stories about how it sometimes went poorly. Knowing that ahead of time, Piake had promised to help Guan Li learn the ropes. So, in some ways, it was his failure that led to his friend being in this situation.

Though Paike thought it would have been obvious that you don't interrupt the near god-like immortal that is deigning to help you. If you have questions, you wait until they are done and are willing to hear you out. Their time might also be purchased with a sect point if you really needed something, though it was undoubtedly expensive. He just hoped that the elder would take into account Guan Li's status as a newcomer to their world and go easy on him.

Paike had paid attention to his surroundings for another ambush on his way through the forest to the compound. If he fell for another in the woods, he would never live that down. But once he started walking through the buildings, he let his mind wander.

It naturally gravitated to the advice of the elder. Paike had underestimated the issues with his physical cultivation. But then again, it seemed they all had. Still, that didn't mean he could ignore those problems. Fixing them was already on his list, but they might have moved up to the top. They certainly moved in front of stretching his dantian out to make up for what he missed in Ruby. He supposed that was a good thing anyway, as he could let his spirit heal more from its many recent wounds.

Paike was pulled from his planning when he stopped in front of the pile of rubble of their old home. Habit had guided his feet and let him here. Looking out over the ruins, he wanted to say he got angry. But he just felt a slight annoyance. It had just cost him a little bit of his stipend and saddled him with a chore that he didn't really have time for.

Honestly, though, he wasn't even angry when he first saw it. Maybe just grumpy.

He didn't care about the petty power squabbles; he just wanted to cultivate, get stronger, help his sister and his family. He didn't know exactly what he would be called to do, but the stronger he became, the more he could do in any capacity.

With the way things were going, he might be able to continue being his sister's guardian for longer than he had hoped. He thought he might be able to follow her for a realm or so until she outgrew his protection. But his own progress was enough that it could be longer. Since he had advanced, when he was done with this assignment, he would receive more important duties.

What would happen if he advanced again? He was confident that his sister would eventually go beyond Emerald, but it would take a very long time. If he moved on first, what would happen? Even in his powerful family, that feat would put him on the cusp of the elite. He would still be a long way from being an elder or anything like that. But many of his cousins who held important positions were only Emerald.

He could command groups of branch family members on contracts. Or maybe he would be strong enough to represent his family to outsiders.

That would make him important. Actually, even if he might make it further, that would make him even more important. Getting to Topaz this young was not exactly rare, but he had only awakened recently, then...

The direction his thoughts were going made him uncomfortable. It had been many years since he had let himself really consider the future. His plans had started to shrink as his awakening had not come. He had actually been considering how he would serve his family as a mortal. Teaching the youth or working as an agent in the mortal world. When he had awakened and his talent had proven low, he was still glad for the chance to help them in the sect.

It still left him as a teacher when he returned, but with more respect. He could do more for the family, but it was so unlikely he would be able to gather enough qi to advance.

Now that he had, things changed. He could do so much more, and what was best for the family might actually mean putting his own advancement first.

That his getting stronger might actually have an impact wasn't something he had considered since he was a child, when he and his nearest siblings had dreamed of venturing forth to spread the family honor. To make names for themselves as heroes of the empire, to gain reputations as peerless warriors, or to accomplish great feats.

Was that to be him after all? The thought brought a discomfort that bordered on physical pain. To hope again was too much. He had thought he had made peace with a quiet life, supporting those around him, and when they moved beyond his reach, a quiet life serving the family. Glory was not for him.

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In a fitting state for his mood, it began to rain. The grey stones that made the pile of ruins that used to be his house slowly darkened as they got wet.

He let the water wash down him, drenching his robes. Some part of him felt that quiet life slipping away.

Did he miss the peace? Or had he just convinced himself so deeply that he just thought he did?

He supposed he could just stop progressing and still have that. But with what he had shown so far, that would make him a disappointment again, rather than a triumph of having made it as far as he had despite all the odds. But now he had a choice. He was going to get stronger and progress no matter what.

But what to do with it?

What did he want?

That question wasn't something he was going to answer today. Paike eventually roused himself and went to their new house. Guan Li still hadn't returned, so he just went to his personal cultivation chamber and spent a little to increase the ambient qi density. It was convenient not to have to share anymore.

The rest of the day was spent carefully reviewing every aspect of his physical cultivation. There was so much to do, and many adjustments were made to every single part. And he had to make multiple passes, as other changes allowed him to go back and make further improvements.

Each time he thought he was getting close, another of the elders' suggestions or criticisms would make him realize how far he had to go, and he would start a pass only to realize another ten things that needed to change.

***

When he finally gave up and opened his eyes, Paike found that it was morning. Again, he hadn't slept but rather cultivated the entire night. He still didn't feel the drain yet, but he would need to sleep that night if he wanted to stay at his peak performance.

He stole and left the chamber. For the first time in a while, there was nothing to clean after he left. Despite no advancement, his body felt better. It moved more smoothly, and it felt better balanced. The changes were minor, but the improvements made it feel like he was getting ready to take another step. It should be the last one before he moved up to the next major stage of physical cultivation. But he wasn't sure.

The exact thresholds were much less defined for physical cultivation than for spiritual cultivation. How many minor stages would depend heavily on which method one was using, and Paike wasn't sure he was following any defined path. Even the names of the realms and stages were not consistent.

It was often seen as an auxiliary path. For everyone who cultivated their body, there were two who didn't. True experts like Elder Ji were rare. Physical cultivation needed a strong spirit to support it. It was difficult to get physical cultivation more than a few stages ahead of the spiritual cultivation. Where that was not true the other way around.

However, it was acknowledged that almost all of the real powerhouses of combat had some talent in physical cultivation. Those without it found their body unable to keep up with the cultivation and got injured if they fought too often. They were often courtiers or adjuncts. Beacarts or scholars. Important to society, but not true warriors in the same way as true cultivators.

Most warriors just tried to keep their physical cultivation within a realm or two of their spiritual cultivation, and that wasn't too hard, as the more powerful spirit helped a lot.

Guan Li had made food, and Paike delightedly stole some from the pan and joined him at the breakfast table. While he needed a lot less sleep and food than when he was a mortal, he still needed more than nothing, which was what he had been getting recently.

The dish was simple rice with eggs; it wasn't even well seasoned, but it tasted heavenly.

After they ate enough to have their senses return to them, Paike finally asked what he had been dying to know for the last day. "So what did Elder Ji want with you? If you can say."

"I think so?" Guan Li said, but he didn't sound very confident. "We talked a little about some of the ideas I have for my cultivation. That took some time."

Guan Li sounded honestly confused about why it had taken so long. Paike thought he could understand a bit of the elder's plight as he tried to get details from the boy.

"He gave me a stack of books to read." Guan Li whined. "It was literally taller than me. I took three trips for me to get them all back here!"

Paike raised his eyebrows. As if he thought paike didn't believe him, Guan Li pointed to a lot table in the reading nook. The small table with a chair sat a little off from the living area, where there were indeed a few stacks that, when totaled, contained at least fifty large books.

"That looks like a lot," Paike got up and walked over. Checking the spines, he recognized several as foundational tomes on cultivation theory. Many he didn't know directly, but could guess at their topics. A few he might try to borrow himself. It seemed that Elder Ji had grown fed up with Guan Li's inability to communicate effectively about his cultivation.

Even learning more of the basic terminology would help Guan Li hold a conversation. Paike would have been wary of polluting Guan Li's unclouded ideas of cultivation. He might get stuck with the current idea, but then again, it might not be possible to contain his genius.

"He wants me to read them by the end of the week," Guan Li moaned in despair.

"That does seem impractical." Paike commiserated. Even for him, it would take longer, and he knew Guan Li wasn't as strong a reader; he was still learning many characters. "It would probably be best to read a little from each to start with, but for sure finish these."

Paike pulled out three books that would probably be the best place to start.

"Thanks," Guan Li muttered.

"I guess you will have to put off climbing the rankings for a little bit," Paike said.

"Yeah, this is going to take forever," Guan Li said.

"At least you get some extra instruction out of this," Paike consoled him. "Even the guidance and the books are worth a lot. And I imagine that he will want to talk with you more about your cultivation when you are done, right?"

"Oh yeah, I was meaning to ask you about that." Guan Li slipped back into very casual speech as he started looking at the books Paike had picked out. "What does being a personal disciple entail? Is that something I would want?"

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