Chương 7: A New Home

They flew to the most western of the three peaks that Jianyi had glimpsed briefly earlier. As they got closer, he got his first real view of his new home. Instead of the simple village he had imagined, he saw a far more elaborate and larger complex. His eyes sparkled as the afternoon sun reflected on the blue tiles of the hundreds of pagodas below him. It seemed like there were two tiers on the mountain with almost a duplication of facilities as far as Jianyi could tell from afar.

They flew to the higher area, which had, on the very top, large residences with multiple wings and inner courtyards. Below those stood stand-alone homes, and even further down, larger buildings that looked like lecture halls, training facilities, and similar structures. Elder Sun directed them not to one of the residences, but to a paifang marking the entrance to the sect's higher realms. He turned to Jianyi.

"This is the entry to the inner sect. It would be rude to bypass the gate and should only be done in times of emergencies." As they landed before the ceremonial gate, he greeted the disciples guarding the entry and pointed towards Jianyi.

"A new outer disciple, I will see to his registration immediately." The guards were wearing the seemingly common blue robes of disciples but had leather armor chest pieces strapped to their bodies, which displeased Jianyi's senses as the son of a tailor. They bowed and welcomed them to the sect, without further challenge; from the glances they threw at Elder Sun, there was a deep sense of respect—if not fear.

Instead of using whatever technique Elder Sun had employed so far to move them at high speed from point to point, he now walked calmly, hands clasped behind his back, and from time to time pointed out buildings of significance to Jianyi.

"Unfortunately, my young student, you won't have access to most of these buildings. The mountain is structured just like the sect. You have the outer disciples lower down, then here you have the inner disciples, and as we walk further towards the peak, you have the core disciples, and then the elders. The buildings, like the Library over there, the Treasure Hall, and the Mission Hall, are reserved for inner disciples. You will find their respective counterparts at the outer sect, where you normally would stay."

Jianyi was impressed by the simple beauty of the buildings, but not too worried about accessing them. The truth was, the sights were lost on him to some degree. He felt like his brain was still a few hours behind where he stood right now, and processing everything that would be his new home was asking too much in that moment.

"In three months, when the new intake of cultivators joins us, you will unfortunately have to spend some time traveling between the outer sect and here for lessons, etcetera. But that's in the future, and for now let's get you settled." They stopped at a medium-sized building, modest compared to some of the more ornate ones, like the Library.

"This, my young friend, is the most important building in the sect," the elder said with a chuckle, "Sect Administration. Without them, nothing works, and we would have lost the Celestial Confrontation long ago." They entered a large lobby filled with a sense of quiet efficiency, with multiple reception desks spread across the room. The elder looked around and saw a woman not much older than Jianyi behind one of the desks.

"Ah, Li Mai Ling is available. Very good. She's very efficient." He led them over to the desk, and the young woman greeted the elder with reverence.

"Elder Sun, it is good to see you. How can I help you?"

"I have a bit of a special request. I know we are supposed to wait for intake day, but I was in the city and came across this promising young cultivator, and have decided to take him on as a student and servant. Would you mind registering him for me?"

"Of course, Elder. I am happy to do a temporary registration and will inform Elder Wang Xing Yu about the exception. I am sure if there is a problem, she will contact you directly." Elder Sun chuckled.

"I am sure you are right. Thank you for your help." With that, the administrator turned to Jianyi. She pointed towards a jade plate that was integrated into her desk.

"Please place your hand on the plate and keep it there while answering the following questions. What is your name?"

"Zhao Jianyi."

"What is your affinity?" He briefly looked at the elder, who didn't react and said, "Fire and Wood." The administrator raised an eyebrow and looked at Elder Sun with a smile.

"Now I understand. I am sure Elder Wang will as well." She turned back to Jianyi.

"Any crafts you are skilled at, such as Alchemy?" Jianyi shook his head.

"No."

"Anything else that is important for the Mission Hall?" Jianyi looked uncertainly at Elder Sun, who shook his head.

"No."

"Very well. You can take your hand off the plate." She fiddled with something under her desk and, after a few moments, handed Jianyi a thin circular jade medallion that bore the image of the Imperial Dragon on one side and the five spears, each pointing in another direction, that were the symbol of the Fivefold Spear Sect. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

"This is your sect medallion. It will serve to identify you and register contribution points and similar things automatically. Make sure to always carry it with you and not lose it. Believe me, we administrators remember the people who lose their medallions." She carefully made a point of not looking at Elder Sun, who chuckled and looked completely innocent. Li Mai Ling nodded towards Jianyi, indicating that they were done.

"Good luck with everything, and remember to present yourself for the test on intake day." Jianyi nodded, though unclear what test was referenced. He had just passed his trial—what else was there?

"Congratulations, my young friend—you are now officially a disciple of the Fivefold Spear Sect," Elder Sun said, as they walked out of the building. As they walked away, Jianyi scratched his head.

"Teacher, what kind of test was she talking about?"

"Mhh, yes, the test. It was introduced not too long ago, maybe a hundred years ago, maybe two." That seemed like a very long time to Jianyi, but he couldn't worry about that.

"What will be tested, and can one fail?"

"Oh, yes, one can fail. They don't really call it that, though. See, with the war draining our resources as much as it does, a decision was made, by the Emperor himself, to split people with cultivation talent into two groups, those that walk the path of spirit cultivation, like me and most everyone else you see around here… and those that will be put on an abbreviated body cultivation path to form regiments that can move to the frontlines faster.

"I have seen those units. They are quite helpful, but… they need to be constantly replenished." Jianyi felt a twisting in his gut. Was this a death sentence? It didn't seem to faze the elder, but it sounded like that to him. He had thought by passing the trial, he was now on the path to finally enact his revenge. But now… He would have to compete with the sons and daughters of rich merchants, nobles, and cultivator dynasties to pass a test? He knew he should ask what the test entailed, but…

he just couldn't bring himself to do that. In a few hours, yes, but not right now.

Soon after, they arrived at Elder Sun's home. It was a large place built from granite and wood, with the blue tiled pagoda-style roof that it shared with all sect buildings, except for the most mundane. It had multiple symmetrical wings built around a central courtyard. Given its size, Jianyi was surprised to see no people around, except for a middle-aged man with long black hair. Elder Sun introduced him as Xu Minghao, his retainer, who took care of most of the elder's and the household's needs.

He turned to Jianyi and said, "Xu Minghao will show you your room and give you any tasks that need doing.

"Until intake, he can also help you in your spear training.

"Let us meet tomorrow for your first lesson in cultivation. It would be unwise to waste time given the test and all the upcoming challenges. Now, rest and recharge, for tomorrow will be intense as well." Jianyi was unfathomably tired, but he still knew how grateful he had to be to the elder for saving him and taking him under his wing, so he bowed deeply.

"Thank you, teacher. Thank you for everything that you've done for me today." Xu Minghao, tall and with muscles that spoke of years of disciplined training, raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised at Jianyi calling the elder 'teacher'. The elder waved them off and walked into the depths of his home. Xu Minghao patted Jianyi's back warmly.

"Welcome, and if today was your trial day, I wish you a happy birthday as well. Call me Minghao. The elder hasn't had a student in a very long time. I think it will do him good and liven up this quiet place. Let me show you around and to your room," he said. Despite his face having a similar, almost ethereal quality as those of other cultivators, he did not wear cultivator robes like most people Jianyi had seen in the sect so far, but rather robust cotton pants and shirt in earthen colors.

The home was sparsely but tastefully furnished, some of the dark gray walls covered with paintings and calligraphy. Others held a veritable collection of spears, made from different woods and metals. Now that he had a bit more time to look around, he noticed faint metal inlays in many places, similar to the carvings on the formation plates the elder had used earlier. The first stop on the tour that Xu Minghao provided was the courtyard, which ripped Jianyi out of his haze.

The smell of a wild mix of flowers, the gentle bubbling of water, the sheer beauty—it was like a jolt to his brain. It was large, significantly larger than Jianyi's whole home in the city. Its most striking feature was four ponds, one in each corner, connected by narrow rivulets. White and gold koi were lazily swimming in the ponds and the connecting streams. The setup divided the courtyard into four triangles, each with its own character.

The one they had entered seemed to be a garden largely for aesthetic purposes, with a few benches and a table perfect to enjoy tea in the morning sun. The triangle to the left was brimming with vegetables and herbs. Jianyi lacked any knowledge in herbology, so he couldn't assess how rare the plants were, but he did feel a faint… aura, if that was the right term, of energy wafting over. On the opposite side was a training circle sunk into the ground.

It wasn't large, but ideal for practicing katas and simple sparring. The final triangle held a small bamboo forest with a grove for meditation. Jianyi stared at the courtyard, open-mouthed. Some of the objects he had seen inside the house were likely worth a fortune, but this courtyard felt like perfection—everything one could want in life. He was sure to spend a lot of time here. Xu Minghao smiled at Jianyi's reaction.

"I take it you approve?" he said with a wink.

"This is incredible, so calm, so beautiful and perfect to train and meditate. Elder Sun must be incredibly rich." The retainer laughed.

"No cultivator walking the path of progress is ever truly rich; most of their wealth is dedicated to acquiring more cards, potions, and pills to become stronger. Also, at the end, this building belongs to the sect. Of course, the elder is a highly valued member of the sect, and therefore it is unlikely that it would ever be taken away from him, but it has happened to others."

Looking around made it clear to him that what he understood as wealth and how the elder and his retainer defined it were very different things. Nonetheless, it was something to think about. Jianyi knew only the basics of his mother's tailoring craft and nothing of how cultivators earned their wealth. After introducing Jianyi to a few more notable places in the home, he led him to his quarters. Compared to his room at home, this was a palace.

It wasn't just one room but a small suite: a bedroom, a meditation chamber—or rather, a cultivation chamber, as Jianyi thought of it—and even a bathroom.

"I hope you'll feel at home right away. If you're hungry, find me in the kitchen. The truth is, Elder Sun isn't very demanding when it comes to support. It's mostly about preparing meals, making sure the house stays in shape, and a few errands that we need to run. I will let you know what needs doing. But for now, I would suggest you rest as the elder suggested.

"If you are up to it, I am going to exercise in the courtyard at sunrise."

"Thank you very much, Minghao. I appreciate the tour and will definitely meet you for training tomorrow morning." The number of events, revelations, and challenges Jianyi needed to reflect upon seemed endless. He should also prepare for his evening exercises. He should wash off the dirt and grime of the cave. Most of all, he needed to understand what the test was all about… Instead, even though it was only late afternoon, he lay down on his new bed and fell asleep within seconds.