Abyssal Road Trip - 656 - Call on me (Patreon)

Amdirlain’s PoV - Nán Tiānjǐng

With qi washing through the apartment from Drakon’s breakthrough, Amdirlain tossed around her options. Among them, the name that Drakon had mentioned for Li Li’s son suddenly spiked and prickled in her thoughts. The karmic tie between them pulled at her steadily but not urgently. To get ahead of potential issues, she locked onto Fèng Lóng hauling water away from the well. 

The gangly youngster had his silvery hair bound back in a ponytail, and his cotton pants and shirt of the finest cloth in the village. Despite the yoke loaded with three sets of buckets on his shoulders, he moved with a flowing stride like those drilling with jian at the compound. Six open body meridians shone within his flesh and he had qi churning around the twisting flame that burned in his clean dantian. He set the buckets by the side door of the inn and raced back to the well. Curious, Amdirlain reached for his mother, still living in the same house where they’d met; the water reservoir there was nearly full. 

At the well, he hauled up buckets of water for those waiting, then filled another six and made another run to the inn. After two more trips, he rapped on the inn’s side door, and a middle-aged woman in fine cotton emerged to hand him a pair of copper coins. Tucking them away, he bowed and rushed towards the edge of the village. Despite the near-empty paths, his loping sprint carried him along the tiles capping various garden walls until he reached home.

A residence that now had furnishings instead of the sparse barrenness Amdirlain had seen the first time. The house had a three-room extension added to the back of its original footprint, the original bedroom now a side room to the kitchen for home crafting. Three girls, barely two years old, were still fast asleep in one room.

“Are your errands all done, Fèng Lóng?” Li Li asked as he slipped inside.

He set a stack of nine copper coins on the table, then filled a bowl with rice porridge from the stove. “Yes, I chopped the wood and delivered the water. Auntie Yuè paid me double today.”

“She is probably hoping you’ll remember the village fondly once you’ve selected a sect. Have you decided yet?”

“None of them feels right,” Fèng Lóng groaned.

“Your father will pick if you drag your heels too much longer,” Li Li cautioned, and sighed before she continued. “You can’t count on Lady Amdirlain to return.”

Fèng Lóng pressed his hands together above his bowl before he dug in with a spoon.

“Don’t ignore me,” Li Li scolded. “Is that why you asked for time to think?”

He eyed her innocently, mouth full of porridge.

A sharp tap of her foot made him swallow hastily so that he could reply. “Their offers are weird, like they’re trying to buy me.”

“Some sects buy candidates, Fèng Lóng. They expect the children to put their past behind them and never return to their families.”

“I’ve heard the guards. The sects offering the most are ones others have to pay to enlist in.”

“It's the prestige of a phoenix-touched joining their sect,” Li Li put a hand on her hip and stared. “What is normal about the blessing you received?”

“Auntie Yuè always has trouble when nobles and cultivators come through,” Fèng Lóng noted. “She puts on a perfect face, but I’ve seen her almost collapse in relief the day after they leave.”

Li Li’s lips pressed tight, as furious notes beat across her bones. “People have many faces they show to others, Mistress Yuè among them.”

“Why are you always so formal with Auntie Yuè, Mother?”

 “Your mind is jumping about today. Finish your breakfast and don’t make a pest of yourself with the guards.”

“I won’t.” Fèng Lóng inhaled his food, snatched up a training jian from his room, and left the house in a rush. He took shortcuts along walls and alleys as he ran for the west gate; there he joined the back line of a group of guards practising sword forms in a small courtyard.

Drakon must have kept our connection on the down-low when he checked on the family. How do I let Fèng Lóng know he needs to find a sect? His mother called him phoenix-touched. Well, Lei Lie saw the technique manifest, so why am I surprised? Why am I overthinking this? Perhaps because he’s going to keep the memories from this lifetime forever, so I want him to start off right.

Amdirlain sighed and reached absently for Sarah; even perfect memories felt hollow at the phantasmal touch that twisted a cruel longing around her heart.

No matter how I feel, I can’t abandon Drakon. Let’s work this out. He needs eighteen more breakthroughs to get to golden immortal, whereas I need fifteen. Today shows I can help him progress, so I don’t have to worry about him getting stuck, right? We could do stuff together once we’re home. Stupid Nüwa, I hope there is someone to kick your arse for me in your new life. Still, if you hadn’t pulled this stunt, it might have been thousands of years before I met Drakon.

Another sigh slipped free.

Overlaying an illusion of a dark green cotton wushu uniform, Amdirlain appeared at the front door of the family home and knocked gently.

Li Li’s black hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail. She looked well-rested, wearing a blue cotton cheongsam dotted with floral patterns. Above high cheekbones, her dark gaze brightened upon seeing Amdirlain.

“Lady Amdirlain.” Li Li exhaled breathlessly, her fingers white-knuckled on the door. She hurriedly pulled herself straight and bowed deeply to Amdirlain, her hand twitching to brush rice flour from her clothing.

Returning the bow, Amdirlain offered her a smile. “My apologies for startling you, Li Li. I’m glad the years have treated you better than when we first met.”

“Thanks to your mercy, great one.” Li Li stepped back and bowed again, then beckoned Amdirlain inside. “Please sit. Would you like tea? There are rice cakes and porridge, or I could make you some mooncakes.”

“Please, call me Amdirlain if you would; the tea isn’t necessary. Congratulations on the birth of your daughters. How old are they now?”

“Thank you! I appreciate your auspicious words. It has been three winters now, and I hope they keep growing up healthy and happy. They and Fèng Lóng are bright lights in our lives,” Li Li said.

“It seems Fèng Lóng has been doing well since his healing. How long has he been training with the town guard?”

Li Li’s mouth parted soundlessly, and she glanced westwards despite the building obstructing her view. “The healing you gifted him was a blessing indeed. He had hoped to dedicate himself to healing, but various healers refused to train him. With no one left to ask, he joined the guards' training two winters ago. He has since opened more meridians.”

“That seems so petty. Were they convinced he’d outstrip them or something else?”

“I don’t know. Would you like me to fetch him?”

“Let’s talk first.” Amdirlain sat at the family table, cluttered with cooking preparations. Li Li moved to clear it and stopped when Amdirlain raised a hand. “It’s fine; don’t disrupt your cooking for me. My apologies for interrupting your morning.”

“You are welcome anytime.”

“If that’s the case, then pretend I’m merely your sister dropping by, though I won’t tell you how to cook. I don’t believe in interfering in another’s kitchen.”

That statement drew a nervous laugh before Li Li bustled about, set a kettle of water over the fire nearer the centre of the bar than the pot that held fresh porridge. A noise drew her attention to the back room.

“I could help you feed them,” Amdirlain offered. “Dealing with triplets must be a handful.”

“They are,” Li Li admitted. “But it took so long to become pregnant again that I almost gave up hope. An extra pair of hands would be welcome. You have me flustered.”

“I’ll ensure the porridge doesn’t burn while you get them up,” Amdirlain offered.

Li Li smiled gratefully and hurried to the back room. Amid the sounds of them getting ready for the day, Amdirlain overheard Li Li’s whispered instructions to mind their manners. 

The trio came out with their hair up in pigtails and offered Amdirlain shy smiles, but after introductions, they tried to hide behind their mother. While two quickly relaxed enough for Amdirlain to help with breakfast, one kept hiding her face against her mother at every opportunity. When Li Li set them on the floor to play with clay figures, the shy girl hid between cabinets and peeked around a corner from time to time.

“I’m glad you’ve prospered,” Amdirlain said, after a few minutes of watching the children play.

“Thanks to your generosity,” Li Li replied. “Have you come back for Fèng Lóng?”

Best not to admit I’d been listening to them earlier.

Amdirlain set a jade slip on the table. “This contains a cultivation method suitable for his dantian’s flame. If he puts in the effort to study it properly, it should stand him in good stead, whatever sect he chooses.”

“Would you take him to your sect?”

Bright, urgent notes sprang up within Li Li’s theme, and Amdirlain raised an eyebrow.

I could enlist him in Silver Wall or another one. Perhaps ask Yuènǚ to treat him as a little brother, since they both have the primordial phoenix effect.

“We don’t have a training facility. I could place him in the care of one I respect, but he would be far from home,” Amdirlain cautioned.

“Sects rarely let children return home, and I’m sure they’re offering bribes to the townsfolk to encourage Fèng Lóng to look kindly on them. I suspect they're holding back the biggest rewards until Fèng Lóng joins them.”

“You don’t want the townsfolk prospering by influencing Fèng Lóng?”

“They wouldn’t help when he was sick,” Li Li replied. “Why should they prosper from your blessing him? There are also some sects whose noble members wouldn’t treat him well.”

“What is Fèng Lóng’s preferred sect? Is he attracted to a particular set of tenets?”

“They’ve not shared such with him, just offered us money if he enlists with them. A sect purchased my older brother; he never saw him again. He supposedly died challenging to enter their inner sect,” Li Li said. 

“And you don’t trust them?”

“No, I don’t. I’ve seen the behaviour of their members towards normal folks,” Li Li said. “You would at least care about Fèng Lóng’s fate.”

“Many paths of cultivation are risky,” Amdirlain warned.

“Yes, I know the tales. Yet many of the sects trying to recruit our son are so callous that I fear they’ll grow impatient. If you can’t offer him a place, I fear he needs to chance fate to stay alive.”

“Very well. I’ll arrange a place with a sect I trust.”

“I hope I do not overstep, given you have already done so much.” Li Li twisted her fingers together. “Could Fèng Lóng visit us at all?”

“If you don’t want to relocate to a place closer to the sect, it might be challenging”

“The hunting here brings in steady coin,” Li Li said. “Closer to a sect, the cultivators cull the animals.”

“Alright, I’ll arrange for him to get some trips home,“ Amdirlain replied. “I hope he doesn’t find being away from home frightening.”

“He won’t say, but it’s clear he has hoped you’d return for him,” Li Li said, smiling.

“How long does the guard’s training run?”

“Until midday,” Li Li said. “He won’t mind your interrupting him.”

What if the sects act against them, the way Toko’s and Minzhe’s enemies moved when I left them behind?

With a light touch, Amdirlain brushed the family’s karmic ties and used their links to attune an item to Li Li’s husband. Then she set five white jade bracelets on the table; each band two finger-widths across. 

How would Fèng Lóng feel if his acceptance led to their deaths? How many lifetimes would that guilt maul him across?

“These will help protect you, your husband and daughters in case the sects prove petty.”

“That’s too precious for us; they’ll attract thieves.”

“Once you put them on, they’ll adjust to you and blend with your skin,” Amdirlain explained. “If I leave you unprotected and something happens, how would Fèng Lóng feel? I think getting him to leave would be a lot easier if he knows you’re all safe.”

Hands trembling, Li Li collected a bracer and slipped it around her wrist; with only the faintest shimmer, it vanished from sight. One by one, Li Li set the jewellery on the girls’ wrists. Though they protested when their shiny present vanished, they calmed at the offer of stuffed cloth dolls in tiny dresses and pigtails.

“Ensure your husband dons the bracer as soon as he gets home,” Amdirlain said, moving to the door. “If anyone acts against you, I’ll have to shift you to another town where your husband can support you.”

I’ll check in on the family randomly; hopefully precognition itches if they’re in danger. With all the work I’ve already dropped on Mùchén, I'll have to make sure everything is fine to add another sect member.

“I’ll pray it's unneeded, as I have made some friends here,” Li Li replied. “This is the third town we’ve lived in; I had hoped not to start again.”

“Well, I’ll put on a show when I collect him, so they have no excuse to act against you. Then anyone who tries deserves the fate they bring upon themselves,” Amdirlain said before she vanished.

She reappeared on Mùchén’s balcony, looking out over the valley between the last two peaks of the Silver Wall Sect Headquarters. There was a slight miscalculation: Mùchén wasn’t in the qi-rich environment; instead, he and the boys he’d adopted were in a modest house in the outer sect area.

Amdirlain dropped the cotton illusion over her clothing and set their appearance to black-and-gold robes before she teleported again, this time to appear near Mùchén’s front door. The household was already up and awake; the boys dug into the first breakfast dishes while the cook deposited more on the table. Mùchén watched them while sipping tea, despite their ongoing attempts to cheerfully load his plate.

At Amdirlain’s arrival, he set his cup aside and strode to the front door.

“Good morning, Amdirlain.”

“Hello, Mùchén. Are the boys settling in?”

“They are. I had to get them a bigger bed, as they didn’t want to sleep separately.”

When the boys peeked around him, Amdirlain gave them a wave. Mùchén grumbled good-naturedly and shooed them back to the table.

“What brings you by?” Mùchén asked once the boys had run back to the table.

“Given all the work I’ve put on your plate, I didn’t want to assume you’d have space for a boy with six body meridians open,” Amdirlain said.

“What young master did you find?” Mùchén asked.

“He isn’t noble. Someone whom I helped years ago has attracted a concerning amount of interest from nearby sects. He was among the first I used the rebirth technique on, so I want to ensure he gains a stable lifetime of memories to draw on.”

Mùchén stiffened. “He hasn’t reincarnated yet?”

“No, he was a very ill child, and the technique rebuilt his body.”

“I’ll have Yuènǚ mentor him,” Mùchén said. “She’ll be in the outer sect for years yet; she’s planning to take her time before breaking through to foundation rank. How long before you bring him along?”

“It won’t be long, certainly within the hour,” Amdirlain replied. “I tried to get the family to relocate as well, but the mother refused. While I’ve put some protections in place, do you have any advice on getting the sects trying to recruit him to leave the family alone?”

“If anyone even tries for them, make their sect pay dearly for the insult. You’d be better off removing the family from their reach.”

“Yeah, that was my thought, but it got a no,” Amdirlain said. “I’ll go fetch him.”

“Very well, I’ll ask Yuènǚ to wait at the main gate.”

Amdirlain bowed to Mùchén before she reappeared in a laneway near where Fèng Lóng was training. Though a recent spring rain had left the hard-packed dirt muddy, a faint acidic smell of mildew scratched at her nostrils. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and moved to the courtyard, watching as the guards and Fèng Lóng practised the same strike in sync with the instructor’s count. He froze as Amdirlain stepped into view, eyes darting from Fèng Lóng’s silver hair to her own shining locks. Amdirlain dipped into his mind to catch his reaction.

“The sects will kill me.” 

The despairing words bloomed in the instructor’s mind, and Amdirlain plucked up images of the gifts he’d accepted from multiple parties.

“Come along, Fèng Lóng.”

“There are many honourable sects interested in recruiting this boy.” The cultivator training the group stepped between Fèng Lóng and Amdirlain. “Who are you to claim him in such a fashion?”

“I’m Amdirlain, the one who saved Fèng Lóng’s life.” White flames shone in her gaze, and a pulse of gravity crushed him to the ground. “Who are you to question me?”

She kept her expression icy but lessened the pressure pinning him.

Fèng Lóng advanced to a midpoint between them. “Please release the captain.”

“You feel the instructor has done well by you, but he has also accepted dozens of bribes to praise different sects to you.” Amdirlain regarded the other guards. “He’ll have to hope the witnesses that an imperious cultivator swept in and plucked you away feel enough courage to speak in his defence.”

Fèng Lóng spun toward the other guards, who backed away nervously.

He still wants the captain protected even though he took bribes?

At his concern, Amdirlain let Ori’s icy mask slip into place. “Which I’m sure all the guards will have the courage to state unequivocally. Will you not?”

The guards stiffened, then dropped into a kowtow. “Yes, Lady Amdirlain.”

For a brief instant, an aura of white flames roiled around her and Fèng Lóng, who alone heard Amdirlain’s words within his mind. “Your mother worried that a sect might kill you to prevent another from recruiting you. However, since I’m beyond their control, no one should take their fury out on anyone else for the missed opportunity.”

“What should I do?” Fèng Lóng gulped when Amdirlain mentally projected the sensation of a finger against his lips.

“Just bow and play along for now; once we’re far from here, we’ll discuss your choices. If you doubt me about the instructor, ask yourself this: how many sects has he had kind words about? Think about how they treated the innkeeper and his family.”

“That won’t be necessary, Lady Amdirlain.”

“Say something for the audience, and we’ll be on our way.”

With that, she dropped the aura and waited to see how Fèng Lóng would respond.

His gaze darted to the instructor’s prostrate form before he looked back at her and bowed. “As heaven wills, Lady Amdirlain.”

Her aura roiled again, forming a massive phoenix that glared down at the instructor before it vanished. 

They reappeared on a grassy hillside, away from any demonic beasts and out of view of passersby on the closest roads.

The shift had Fèng Lóng looking around, trying to spot a landmark he recognised.

“My sect isn’t currently taking on new members. I intend to place you with the Silver Wall Sect; their tenets are around protecting villagers from bandits and demonic beasts. However, what focus you take for your cultivation is up to you.”

“May I ask why you selected them?”

“They have a member who I also used the rebirth technique on, and she has a wisp of primordial flame in her dantian. She’s reached peak body rank, and will give you some relevant advice on how it’s impacted her cultivation progress.”

“How big is the sect?”

“It controls an expansive territory, and its members have enough leeway to pursue their chosen cultivation paths.”

“So I don’t have to keep learning to use a sword?”

“You might want to learn to protect yourself, but it doesn’t have to be your focus. What did you want to do?”

“Become a healer to stop children dying,” Fèng Lóng said. 

Amdirlain’s approving smile lit her face. “I like your purpose. Was it my saving your life that inspired it?”

“Mother lost my brother, almost lost me, and so many other children died in town. Some of them were my friends.” Fèng Lóng dropped his gaze. “I want to stop other children dying.”

If things were calmer with Zhōngxīn, I’d send him to Quan Yin’s waters.

“The Silver Wall Sect has skilled healers and apothecaries; some people train in both paths. At least one of whom is approaching peak core rank.”

“That sounds promising,” Fèng Lóng said. “Can I train with them?”

“Not immediately,” Amdirlain said. “Yuènǚ will mentor you in the outer sect before you can start on either path. You’ll have to earn admission into healer training. Shall we get going?”

Fèng Lóng nodded.

With the sect talisman in hand, Amdirlain clasped his shoulder and teleported them directly to the sect’s main gate; she arrived between the last town building and the sect’s outer wall. The wall itself was smooth with an almost polished finish, having risen from the ground through an earth qi technique. Though the gap was shaded, the air carried no smell of mildew or rubbish. Those atop the walls kept their attention on the approaching wagons and cultivators on the road, carrying large packs.

A single guard, who stood off to one side outside the gate, reacted to their arrival. A black staff with gold-capped ends leapt into his hand, but Amdirlain’s will brushed its end wide even as he readied to strike. The fellow had a straggly mane of platinum-blond hair, out of place with his broad Mongolian features. His sect robes had an extra symbol of a staff meeting crossed blades among the adornments along his cuffs. Oddly, the weapon didn’t grab Fèng Lóng’s attention; rather, his gaze fixed on the cultivator’s shoulder-length hair.

“My apologies, Lady Amdirlain. I’m Senior Elder Baatar,” Baatar said, offering an apologetic bow and his staff vanished. “Normally, you arrive at a greater distance.”

“I let Lord Mùchén know we were coming, but it seems I’ve arrived too quickly. This is Fèng Lóng; his education might need some refinement to reach the Silver Wall Sect’s standards. I hadn’t thought to ask Mùchén about that when we discussed him.”

“I’m sure someone will tutor anyone you deem worthy of sponsoring through Lord Mùchén,” Baatar replied, turning his attention to the still gawking Fèng Lóng. “What is it, youngster?”

Fèng Lóng audibly gulped as he bowed. “Please forgive my rudeness. I’d only heard tales of the West Wind’s bloodline.”

His response drew a laugh from Baatar, who scratched the side of his head. “I thought my hair was special until I met a boy who shows his blood far more than I do.”

He was about to say more when Yuènǚ appeared inside the outer gate in a light brush of space qi, prompting him to incline his head to Amdirlain. “It seems you only just beat Lord Mùchén’s messenger, Lady Amdirlain.”

“Indeed.”

Yuènǚ rounded the corner from the gate’s tunnel in a rush, lips parted as if ready to speak, only to skid to a halt and bow deeply to Amdirlain.

“My apologies to you both, Lady Amdirlain and Senior Elder Baatar. Lord Mùchén had just finished instructing me.”

Loose hair briefly curtained Yuènǚ’s face, leaving only a glimpse of her sapphire gaze. Its shimmer drew Fèng Lóng’s attention from Baatar.

Does Fèng Lóng’s focus always go to someone’s hair first? 

He froze as he caught Yuènǚ’s assessing sapphire stare.

“Fèng Lóng, this is Yuènǚ. She’s the mentor I spoke to you about,” Amdirlain said. “We’re here faster than I had indicated, so the fault is mine.”

“Greetings, Fèng Lóng. My name is Yuènǚ. I understand from Lord Mùchén that you are to be my martial brother.”

“I am?” Fèng Lóng spluttered and blushed to his ear tips at his fumbled response.

“Yes. Since the phoenix’s rebirth has touched us,” Yuènǚ replied. “Lady Amdirlain, I can take him to the quartermaster. I’ll make sure he has everything he needs and get him assigned a room. Lord Mùchén wanted me to assure you he’ll receive a proper education, as will the others you’ve placed in the care of our sect.”

“Thank you, Yuènǚ. Fèng Lóng hasn’t been away from home before, so I’m sure the change will require some adjustment.” Amdirlain patted Fèng Lóng’s shoulder. “You’ll get to visit your family regularly as long as you apply yourself.”

“I won’t let you down, Lady Amdirlain,” Fèng Lóng said.

“Don’t worry about another’s expectations, Fèng Lóng. It’s more important that you don’t let yourself down.”

With a last nod, Amdirlain shifted to a barren hillside outside a fading village. Nearby, a herd of goats sought greenery among the rocky outcroppings. They trotted away with their herder in pursuit when her will pressed down the hillside and slowly flattened it. Once it was level, stone grew following her will; the walls that rose shaped a perfect octagon. At each major cardinal point of the outer wall, a gate formed, its keystone emblazoned with a depiction of the relevant wind. In the massive five-tier pagoda at its centre, Amdirlain created statues of their animal forms, facing towards the matching gate. The morning sun reflected off the hardened red tiles that capped the awning and rose, giving the appearance of living flames.

Since cultivators want to hoard knowledge, let me start to break their hold.

Emblazoned on the surrounding walls was a message: Those who seek to take the first step towards enlightenment meditate on the white sparks in this shrine’s heart.

The words themselves held the concept of literacy, bestowed upon anyone who tried to decipher them.

Between the four winds, a brazier of white primordial flames appeared, with matching sparks that danced randomly on the energy flows from the ley lines beneath the hill. She set the sparks to resist being drawn to anyone with an open meridian. Amdirlain walked a lap around the statues, imbuing each with knowledge of a basic cultivation technique to share with those who prayed to them. She lingered at last by Xuan Wu; his statue showed a snake merging unsettlingly with a turtle. 

Her fingertips brushed the spot with an intentional flaw in the scales at the junction where the serpent blended with the turtle. A spot that matched where Eldritch forces had ripped free the scale that now capped the entryway to this realm. The scale's material had given her the song of Sun Wukong’s failed realm, and it had also contained a tale that matched the Xuan Wu she’d met.

Her mind brushed the crystalline songbook sitting in her soul void and pondered the songs that she had set within aeons ago.

How much strength would I need to play with time, even if that old realm’s rules were failing? As I miss Sarah, their friends have missed them for so much longer. Yin and yang don’t represent balance but the inevitability of changing forces. That means the concepts the winds represent exist here; so can I tap into those concepts to bring them back? Can someone's faith feed anything here?

As her thoughts dwelt on the four winds she’d met, and turning the energy of Di Yu’s demonic tar into souls, she resumed strolling around the statues.

In a distant location, her will created a second shrine at another small nexus of ley lines. Even as she worked, Amdirlain plotted out more spots to benefit isolated villages.

How many can I complete before Drakon’s breakthrough finishes?