Chương 157: Chapter 156: Moving Day

Shixiong - Older male fellow disciple of the same master. Shidi - Younger male fellow disciple of the same master.

"Shidi, are you ready to move to your new home?" Zhen Hao Shixiong's bright energetic voice preceded him a moment before he stepped fully into the infirmary.

"I am ready, Shixiong." Yang said, pushing himself off the bed. He had spent an extra day under observation after his week-long slumber. The Elder in charge had been paranoid that the massive influx of qi he'd absorbed might trigger a delayed reaction, but Yang had remained stable and had been released the next morning, which brought him to now, eager to leave the True Talisman Peak and waiting for Zhen Hao Shixiong, since he had no way of leaving the peak on his own.

Zhen Hao Shixiong put an arm around Yang's shoulder as he steered him out of the infirmary.

"Shidi, it seems like you have grown rather fond of this infirmary. You're becoming a bit of a fixture here."

"Trust me Shixiong it's not intentional," Yang would prefer never patronising it again. They made their way to the landing area as Yang felt a familiar spike of anxiety.

"Shixiong, can you fly slow this time.? I really can't bear the speed you prefer" he could not bear the thought of one of Shixiong's famous swords rising on top of everything that had happened recently.

"Shidi, you are too timid. Fine, I'll go slow. But you need to eventually harden your spirits if you want to keep up with all your shixiongs." Zhen Hao Shixiong said as if he was making a great concession and sacrifice.

"Shixiong," Yang pointed out dryly.

"I am a Qi Condensation cultivator. I can't fly a sword at all, fast or slow."

"Oh. Right." Zhen Hao Shixiong paused and then recovered with a wide grin.

"No matter. You'll soon be a core disciple of the Soaring Cloud Peak and you'll reach Foundation Establishment before long, and then we can work on your flying skills and this silly fear of speed. No Shidi of mine is going to be flying around at the speed of a pet turtle." Zhen Hao Shixiong summoned his flying sword with a flick of a wrist and they were soon airborne. Yang stood behind him, taking in the view and found himself reflecting on how much his life had changed in just a few days.

He had arrived in this sect as a nobody with mortal origins and now he was going to become an inner sect disciple without even having established his foundation. Fate sure works in mysterious ways. Even with Zhen Hao Shixiong's "slow" pace they reached the outer aspect in what felt like a blink.

"If it takes this long to reach the outer sect peak at a crawl," Zhen Hao Shixiong grumbled, "then it's no wonder Lin Yi takes ages whenever he picks you up." Yang didn't bother pointing out that Zhen Hao Shixiongs definition of "ages" was laughable. Zhen Hao Shixiong just grinned as they walked towards his cave residence. But Yang stopped short as he reached his garden bed. He knelt, his heart sinking as he realised that the Blue Jade and the Spirit Grass had withered in his week long absence.

Only the Spirit Spiral Plants lived, though they looked to be in bad shape. It looked dry with its leaves drooping and with some yellowish green spots visible on it. It seemed like the Spirit Spiral Plant had sucked the vitality out of the Blue Jade and Spirit grass since Yang wasn't there to supply it with qi. Yang brought his hand closer to the plant and drew out his own qi, wisp after wisp and fed all three Spirit Spiral Plants.

Watching them perk up and lean into his touch, feeding them until they had taken in their fill. For good measure he also watered the ground with qi infused water while Zhen Hao Shixiong watched from a few steps away.

"Shixiong, can I bring them with me?" Yang asked looking up. Zhen Hao Shixiong came closer and couched down next to him to look at them properly.

"These are the ones that caught Lin Yi's eye last time, aren't they?" he thought about it for a moment.

"Tough to say. Spirit Spiral plants bind their roots deeply where planted. You should wait to ask our Master or our Shixiong Fan Xiao. He's the resident alchemist, he'll know if there is a way to transplant them."

"Fan Xiao Shixiong?" Yang asked, latching on to the unfamiliar name.

"Oh, Shidi, you don't know? There are twelve of us. Well, thirteen now, with you." Zhen Hao Shixiong said casually.

"You are Master's thirteenth disciple. My only Shidi. Fan Xiao Shixiong is another of our Shixiongs. He is an alchemist, he'll be the best person to see if there is a way to transfer your plants to Soaring Cloud Peak, especially with whatever is unusual about them" he said as he gave the Spirit Spiral Plants a sidelong look. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Shixiong, I need to water them daily or they won't survive for long." Yang said as his mind was still reeling from the realisation that he suddenly has a master and twelve Shixiong over him.

"Don't worry Shidi. I have a formation that water plants automatically. It can create qi water with ambient qi or use water infused with your own energy" Zhen Hao Shixiong produced a silver, coin sized disc from his storage ring as if it were a common trinket"Shixiong, I cannot take your formation pla—" Yang started already shaking his head.

"You're not taking it. I am giving it to you. I've had a couple of these for decades and never used any of them, since I've never really developed an interest in herbology. Fan Xiao Shixiong made it for when he leaves the peak, and shared with us his shidi and shixiong but since none of the rest of us have any talent or interest in plants none of us had a chance to put them to use yet. He'll be thrilled to finally have someone that shares his interest" Zhen Hao Shixiong said with a smile.

Yang hesitated then voiced a fear he had been harboring in the back of his mind since yesterday.

"Shixiong, what do the other Shixiong think about Master taking me in as a disciple?" He wondered, not entirely unreasonably, if any of them might resent the sudden addition of a thirteenth Shidi. Zhen Hao Shixiong looked puzzled.

"What would they think? It's Master's decision who he takes in as a disciple. And none of them can ever have too many people to order about." he said in a complaining tone but he saw Yang's continued unease and his expression softened.

"Shidi, stop worrying needlessly. You don't know our Master yet but Master had never made a wrong decision and all his disciples know that well. Right now all of our shixiong are probably thinking about what kind of person you are and what they should give you as a meeting gift." He continued.

"Shidi, you've been in the sect long enough to know how we do things here. Becoming a core disciple of Soaring Cloud Peak doesn't mean you've gained people to watch out for. Rather you've gained a father and brothers. We are here to back each other for as long as we live, it's not just meaningless words." Yang felt a warm feeling spread through his chest as he felt a wistful smile on his face. A family again. For a moment the faces of Grandpa, Li San, Uncle Li, Eldest and Second Brother flickered across his mind.

"Now." Zhen Hao Shixiong said tossing the coin sized formation up and down in his hand, "lets set up the formation so you can stop worrying until Fan Xiao Shixiong makes his way to the sect." He threw the small plate up in the air and it spread over the whole area in a web of thin threads forming runes and inscriptions and finally falling back on the ground with only the small coin sized part remaining solid in the center.

"Shidi, come here." Zhen Hao Shixiong called him over.

"Would you like it to use ambient qi or you—""I'll use my own qi, Shixiong," Yang interrupted.

"Then push your qi towards this," he said, pointing to the small silver coin, "it will water the plants with water infused with your qi." Zhen Hao Shixiong has clearly worked out what the plant needed after seeing them move towards Yang's qi earlier. Yang knelt beside Shixiong and fed wisps of his qi into the small silver disc until Zhen Hao Shixiong indicated it was enough.

"When do you want it watering the plants, Shidi?"

"At dawn, Shixiong" Yang watched fascinated as Zhen Hao Shixiong manipulated the formation until it shifted and contracted to perfectly enclose the Spirit Spiral plant garden bed. Once it was situated perfectly, it sank and vanished into the ground and Zhen Hao Shixiong stood up dusting off his hands.

"Done, it will water the plants automatically at dawn. Given how small the area is, it should run for about two months before it will need more qi from you. We should have an answer about whether the plant can be moved by then," his expression turned serious.

"Shidi, if they cannot be moved, we will destroy them" Yang understood the warning for exactly what it was and agreed.

"Of course, Shixiong." They went inside to pack what little Yang owned. Zhen Hao Shixiong stood in the front and looked properly around the cave for the first time despite having once visited before.

"Shidi, You've been living rather sparsely."

"It's enough for me, Shixiong. I've never had much to begin with. This cave residence has been very comfortable for me."

"No matter." Zhen Hao Shixiong turned to him.

"Just take what's actually important to you. Your new residence has already been furnished with everything a cultivator could need." Yang's eyes widened slightly at that, wondering what exactly it meant in practice. He began gathering his meagre belongings. He went to the small alcove in the corner first and retrieved his most important possessions. The jade chest he had won at the Skill Judging event along with the pouch of spirit stones and the token with access to cultivation chambers.

The remaining Molten Body Pills, which he was now uncertain about given that he had just crossed two realms in a single uncontrolled event. The bottle of honey from the bees on the Spirit Herb Peak. The seeds and manuals Senior Brother Lin Yi had given him. The knife, clothes, boots and other things he left the Li family home with. And finally, the painting. The one that had started everything. He carried it out and set it on the table. Then he went around gathering the rest.

The pouch with the remaining Pink Lotus Tea leaves. His talisman supplies. His spare robes, His notes and the pouch of spirit stones given to him by Senior Cheng Mo. Yang looked at the small collection of his entire life's possessions and was stuck briefly, by how little space it all took. All his possessions combined barely occupied half the surface of the table. Then he noticed Zhen Hao Shixiong. He was standing perfectly still, staring at the painting on the table.

"Shixiong?" Yang said.

"Shixiong?" Yang felt a flicker of alarm, remembering his own reaction the first time he had really looked at it, and quickly crossed the room to put a hand on Shixiong's shoulder, shaking him gently. Zhen hao Shixiong blinked, visibly struggling to pull his eyes away from the painting and turned to Yang with clear reluctance.

"Yang Shidi. Where did you get this painting from?"