Qi Like Tar

Peng Yu looked to the crowd, but enough of them were from the new year and knew Li Feng and Paike onsite that they didn't seem eager to get involved.

Whoever this was, he seemed savvy enough that he could tell that he was losing the crowd and needed to save face. Simply walking away after such a challenge wasn't going to work. So he changed tactics.

"And you are you?" He asked Paike. If he didn't actually know, it didn't matter; he was just trying to buy time and make a distraction.

"Trying to avoid the challenge?" Paike asked with a raised brow. That he was more than a hand taller than the boy certainly made it easier for him to impose his presence; his optics were on his side.

"I shall officiate and ensure that no one interferes," Paike stated before turning to the crowd. He shouted in his best commanding voice. "Back up!"

It only took a few glares and one of him using the softest rebuke he could to knock a wide circle clear. Then he stepped to the side, and Li Feng gave him a nod as he stepped out to the entryway of his house.

He drew his sword and advanced on the Middle Topaz cultivator.

The entire crowd was still. Some of the disciples from previous years might not have known Paike at sight. However, that was not the case with Li Feng. He was the new star. Not some failure performing better than they expected. From the first day, anyone who wanted to control the sect would have had to focus on him.

It would have been clear from the start that he wasn't someone willing to be a follower. Only the most truly delusional would have believed they could have forced or convinced him to be a lackey.

For anyone in the crowd who didn't know who Li Feng was, they were probably told by people around them or the leader himself.

So when Li Feng stepped forward, sword raised, everyone knew what was about to happen. Or at least they thought they did. It was supposed to be the new prodigy swordsman against one of the most powerful disciples who had ruled the outer sect since the last graduation. He had likely intimidated or bullied everyone here into deferring to him because of his higher cultivation.

Paike, however, had a better idea than most. See, he knew that Li Feng wasn't just some new cultivator who was talented with a sword.

He was a savant. Li Feng wasn't just a talented cultivator; he was a genius who only looked good in the competition this year and was an equal as a swordsman.

They had fought twice, and each time Paike had had the advantage of higher cultivation, but even then he wouldn't have claimed to be the strictly better fighter. And that was with all his advantages as well.

So when Li Feng raised his sword into a guard, and the other cultivator drew a sword, Paike lost a lot of interest. The fight might have been more interesting if the other cultivator didn't also use a sword.

Li Feng slashed, and Peng Yu moved to block.

Having finished, Li Feng turned away and walked back inside his house, firmly shutting the door behind himself.

The crowd seemed confused, and Paike could understand that they didn't know what happened. He had a little trouble following it himself. More than anything, though, he was surprised that Li Feng had gone as far as he had. Paike would have been worried about the elders if it had been him.

Seeing that the crowd wasn't about to go anywhere anytime soon on their own, Paike raised his voice again. "It's over, go home!"

There were some confused mutters, but when Peng Yu didn't protest Paike's judgment that the bout was over, even his most ardent supporters grew quiet.

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"What happened?" Someone called.

"Who won?" This one came from further back from someone who didn't have a good view.

One of Peng Yu's supporters stepped forward and helped him unclench his fingers from the hit of his sword. It was a bit of an effort. It seemed that Li Feng's attack wasn't a simple slash. However, it had severed the tendon in the back of Peng Yu's right hand. Leaving him unable to extend his own fingers from the grip.

The Middle Topaz cultivator was in some sort of shock. Likely stunned by some qi technique that Li Feng had deployed, as a cultivator wouldn't be so vulnerable to just surprise. A normal reaction was to either drop the sword or collapse.

Paike assumed the boy would heal eventually, but it would be a process and take real healers' attention. Maiming was supposed to be against the rules. However, he would be surprised if Li Feng faced consequences for this. The rules seemed to be more flexible than he first thought.

Maybe it was more about crippling cultivation or permanent harm that even healers couldn't fix.

"I said go home!" Paike ordered. This time the people actually listened, and the crowd began to disperse.

Peng Yu's group also started to move away. Paike watched, considering. If they wanted to stay a force in the sect, their leader would have to do something to help remind everyone that he was a powerful cultivator again. He didn't want to be a victim of that. With how involved he was, it made sense that they would try to use him to remove the embarrassment, but they might think better after interacting with him.

It could go either way, so he walked over to them and stood in their path.

"Where are you taking him?" He asked the two boys leading Peng Yu away.

"Back to his house. We have healing supplies there." The boy answered warily.

"They won't cut it," Paike said. "You will likely need help from the elders."

They didn't believe him. He considered if it was worth the effort to convince them or let them realize that the healing they were trying wasn't fixing the severed tendons right. He wasn't sure how long the qi effect would last either.

Giving up on trying to be nice and getting them to remember this favor when they decided who to try and make an example of, he waved them off. If they decided to make trouble for him later, he would deal with it. He still had to talk to Li Feng.

After everyone left, Paike walked over and knocked on the boy's door. It took a few moments, but eventually the door cracked, and Li Feng beckoned Paike inside.

"Come in," He welcomed. "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please." Paike accepted as he sat. There was a comfortable silence as Li Feng prepared a pot.

He poured, and they both sat for a little while with their thoughts. Paike was happy to start talking whenever but found the atmosphere enjoyable. He also knew that if he pushed Li Feng, he wasn't going to get what he wanted.

His ability to respect boundaries and understand the other boy's goals was what convinced him to work with them for a bit. After all, they had worked well together before.

Eventually, Li Feng broke the peace. Not with the small talk that many would have expected, but getting close to the main point as Paike had hoped.

"That was unpleasant." Li Feng said. And Paike knew that he was referring to the encounter with the crowd and Peng Yu.

Paike sighed and set his own cup down with a gentle clink.

"It was," he agreed. "I think that neither you nor I have any interest in ruling the sect, no?"

"We are of the same mind." Li Feng agreed. "It is tiresome and a distraction."

"I am glad we find common ground on this," Paike said. "However, while we may ignore the masses, they will not ignore us."

"So it seems."

"This morning a smaller group tried to extract a toll from me. I did not agree." Paike said. He always found himself speaking more formally around Li Feng. It just felt right and respectful. Perhaps it was because he was just mirroring his conversation partners as he was taught to be polite, but it also reminded him what a cultivator could be.

It was just a way of speaking; however, it was what he was taught society should be. If everyone adorned themselves as Li Feng did, what would the world be like? If there were no one like Peng Yu, the immature Ren Shu, or Han Saiyan? Paike needed to remind himself that he was at a school for children. They needed to learn to behave. Though much of what they did was from imitating their family's adults.

"I heard of a disturbance this morning. That was you?" Li Feng confirmed.

Paike inclined his head. "A disturbance might be a bit of an exaggeration. But yes, that was me. I fear they will not learn, and if one does, the others won't."

"Then we will have to teach them all." Li Feng said. This was exactly what Paike was looking for. That Li Feng was already suggesting collaboration was a huge win.

In reality, Paike didn't think that Li Feng would have rejected him had he come out and just asked for his help. It wasn't even that he was manipulating him. Rather, this was the way such agreements should be made in Li Feng's view. And Paike's, if he were more of an idealist. A gentle conversation where common interests were identified, resulting in mutual cooperation.

It had the added benefit of making future cooperation easier without having to keep a ledger of favors. Besides, the tea was rather pleasant.

Paike took another sip. "While neither of us desires to control the sect, one may be found that would be amenable to both of us."

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