Sky Pride

Tian shook his head. He could understand that, but he would have thought such a being would have the courage to be kind.

“I think I can explain what’s going on with you two, and particularly with Junior Tian. You both absorbed and incorporated a stunning amount of the dao charm of each of those chambers into your understanding of the elements. Which is a good thing. We could only wish everyone did. But you seemed to have absorbed it into yourselves to a highly unusual degree. Which again, is a good thing. But it will seem like every casual act you make is going to seem incredibly significant to the people around you.”

Tian blinked and looked down at his lap. Should he find a private latrine?

“It will wear off. The reason we are willing to gamble with the lives of promising juniors in that place is because that dao charm is so rare. Finding all five elements so clearly exemplified in one place is practically unheard of. I, at least, don’t know of anywhere else like it. I’m sure you have already noticed the improvements in yourself. The improvements in your arts are the very least of it.”

The two juniors nodded. They really could. Tian was privately certain he could utterly demolish the him before he went into the caverns. It wouldn’t even be a fight. Every move just contained so much more elemental essence and contained its own esoteric rhythm. The only way he could think of to describe it was everything was more “right” than it had been before. He, Tian Zihao, was more “right” than he had been before.

Moving in time with the dao.

He instinctively knew that his breakthrough to the Heavenly Person Realm wouldn’t be something simple. It was doubtless still years away, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start gathering some information about it.

“Daoists talk about yin and yang, fate, the five elements, the mysteries hidden in heaven and earth, the dao path of various weapons, indeed, the myriad dao itself definitionally contains endless multitudes of paths.” Elder Rui inhaled slowly then exhaled again. “We are like babies, trying to tell our friends what our parents do for work. For immortals, we have cheap mouths.”

He smiled over at Tian and Hong.

“Now you know better. You are a few good steps closer to the truth of the five elements than you have any right to be. Older cultivators will have a more sophisticated grasp of the scholarship around the elements, the product of the diligent work of thousands of predecessors. But you will have experienced something beyond words. More than a single aspect of a single element, you have found the center of the whole system. No matter how fragmentary or incomplete your understanding is, you did find it. Your future is limitless. Truly limitless.”

The Elder lapsed back into silence, as they flew through the predawn darkness. Each lost in their own thoughts, and wondering what the future would hold.

The next morning, they stopped by a riverbank. It was a charming place, with soft grass and fragrant small flowers hiding between the green stems. A broad-limbed tree provided pleasant shade, and the little river made a merry noise as it rattled along its bed.

“I think we could all go for a cup of tea. Tian, you serve.” Elder Rui waved to a scenic spot and flattened the grass with the same gesture. Sister Hong nodded strongly, and even Senior Redmane looked curious.

“Gladly, Senior. Sister Hong? It’s the Cloud Grace tea gifted to me by Brother Long.”

“Oh. I can see how a ghost might like that.” She looked suddenly awkward, but shook her head and firmed her expression. “I’ll still drink it.”

Elder Rui looked mildly curious, but didn’t pursue it. Tian laid out his table and set out his tray. The little tea pet was set on what Tian decided was the southern edge of the tray. He served the tea, making sure to infuse each moment with all he had learned in the caverns. He focused particularly on the fire qi in him. Letting the little candle in his heart shine and inviting everyone to come to the table.

They were all important people to him, after all. He didn’t know Senior Redmane much, but the bird had shown him great care. The same was true with Elder Rui- the senior had done him favor after favor. With hidden motives, true, but they were still great kindnesses nonetheless. And Sister Hong was… Sister Hong. She was always welcome at his table.