The Magistrate: Chapter 15 (Patreon)

Chapter 15

Premonitions

Disciple Xi and Disciple Tang were kindred spirits. Since Tobias introduced them, a day hadn't passed where the two of them didn't meet to discuss alchemy or instruct the gatherers on what they required and why. This free exchange of knowledge and ideas led everyone to discover that Disciple Tang could make tonics with the clippings the gatherers routinely turned into compost.

Tobias was asked to weigh in on the matter when no one could estimate their value. Until the discovery, the clippings had been a simple waste product. Tobias proposed that Disciple Tang give them the right to buy any tonic he wished to sell from their clippings for accommodation points, and the matter was resolved.

Everyone won with the deal, but Disciple Tang came out on top. The man found it amusing to collect large quantities of ingredients and sort them into portions to figure out what he could make. He always had a little of this and a little of that, so it required more prep work, but it made sourcing his materials significantly cheaper. Because of this, he always had materials that didn't match up, so he'd been experimenting with different methods for turning the spirit herbs into stable powders to store for future use. He'd had varying degrees of success, and Disciple Xi was helping him explore the possibility.

Tobias finished reading Uncle Nang's latest report on Disciple Tang and smiled. The Nang family kept track of everything going on with the disciples he housed, allowing him to anticipate and address any problems that might arise. So far, everything was running smoothly. He put the report aside and stared out at his garden, taking in the soft glow of the lanterns, and enjoyed his evening.

Tonight was his last night in the sect. Tomorrow, he would begin his journey across the state. His state assignments for the Spring had all been cleared, and he'd given out the standard Summer assignments early so they would be ready to be handed in when he returned.

He'd been burning the candle at both ends to get everything ready in time. He owed Elder Po a favour for turning a blind eye to the torrent of assignments he'd given out, but everything was in place for his absence. Despite all the work, Tobias enjoyed his new life. His first life had taught him the outside of spending time with family and friends, he enjoyed being busy and facing new challenges.

Working as the sect liaison and housing their disciples gave him that. There was an opportunity for expansion and growth, as well as mental challenges to keep him interested.

Tobias was the sort of man whose life fell apart when he didn't have something to work towards. However, he also knew that he was the sort of man who would burn himself out if he were pushed too hard, and he was close to reaching his limits. He was looking forward to his three-week journey across the state to Mist Sect. It was a welcome escape and would be his first day off since Winter. 

While he relaxed, Disciple Wo stumbled through the garden in a daze. This time, Tobias had given him three days of access to the cultivation chamber. It was technically a single cultivation session, but Tobias knew he was pushing the rules.

Core disciples frequently spent an entire week cultivating, but for someone like Disciple Wo, it was a marathon, as he was actively trying to improve his cultivation rather than gather spiritual energy. Gathering spiritual energy put you in a mental state where you were unaware of the time passing around you. Opening and cleansing meridians required focus and drive.

Disciple Xi had bet Tobias a day off against showing him how a pill was made, that Disciple Wo would not last all three days. Disciple Xi did not understand how resilient Disciple Wo was or how motivated he was to fulfil his next bodyguard assignment.

The young man was nearly twenty years old and about to go to an all-female sect. With each meridian he opened and cleansed, he would grow more attractive and graceful. No amount of pain and discomfort would break him.

Tobias waved over Disciple Wo and invited him to sit with him. He watched his assistant slump onto the cushion next to him. He smelled of harsh soap, and his skin was red, showing Tobias's servants had scrubbed him clean.

Disciple Wo had lost weight in the past three days. He was now lean and limber. His skin radiated health, and his features were perfectly symmetrical, making him incredibly handsome.

He looked like a true cultivator.

"How far did you go?" Tobias asked as he took the lid off the stew pot.

Disciple Wo picked up the pot, ignoring the ladle and began drinking spirit beast stew as fast as he could. Tobias didn't mind. His assistant's body was likely screaming at him to provide the building blocks to complete his transformation. Tobias took the lid off the porridge pot next and moved it closer to his starving assistant.

Then he went back to drinking his tea, knowing he wouldn't get an answer.

Uncle Nang had taught Tobias the signs for judging another's cultivation, but Tobias still wasn't confident in his ability to accurately assess people yet. What he saw suggested Disciple Wo had opened and cleared all of his greater body meridians. If that were true, he had left the mortal realm behind him and become a true cultivator.

Fifteen minutes later, Disciple Wo gave a tired grin as he scraped the last of the stew from the pot with a ball of purple rice.

"Do you need more?" Tobias asked.

Disciple Wo's stomach didn't protrude, despite him having eaten nearly eleven pounds of food. His stomach had gone into overdrive, digesting the additional food as it appeared and transporting it throughout his body to rebuild him. His limbs had thickened, and he had lost his half-starved appearance.

"Not tonight. But I need to rest."

"Before you do that, tell me how far you went?"

Disciple Wo smirked. "It took all my sect points and every pill I could get my hands on, but I managed to open all twelve greater meridians and cleansed them."

Tobias raised an eyebrow. "All of them?"

He nodded, looking satisfied.

Tobias smiled. "Congratulations on stepping beyond mortality and entering the initiate realm. How does it feel being a true cultivator?"

Disciple Wo paused before turning serious. "Different. Where you see darkness in your garden, I see light shadows. I could smell you the moment I stepped into the garden like you were a curried dish, and I taste the rain on the wind. But most of all, I no longer feel like I am a part of this world. It's as if it's a dream, and I'm finally waking."

Tobias laughed in his face. "Was that your impression of a mystical elder detached from mortal affairs?"

Disciple Wo raised his nose. "I don't know what you mean, Magistrate?"

"Would you like me to ask Disciple Xi if he feels that way?"

Disciple Wo erupted in laughter. "He'll think I'm being serious. Then I'll have to endure him explaining how being detached should not be something I take pride in."

Tobias grinned. "Will you be ready to travel in the morning?"

Disciple Wo yawned. "A night's sleep for someone with my cultivation is like three days of recovery. I'll be fine."

Disciple Wo's yawn triggered a yawn from Tobias. "I had my servants use the last of the cloud ram you hunted to make more stew. It's been simmering in the kitchen for three days and should restore your body when you wake in the morning. Make sure you take it with you."

Disciple Wo smiled. "Thank you."

"It's self-preservation. I need my bodyguard fit and healthy."

Disciple Wo laughed and rose to his feet. "I'll go introduce myself to your stew and let you get to sleep. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

***

"I'm coming with you," Disciple Xi announced as Tobias stepped outside his gate the following morning.

Tobias frowned as he put down his luggage. Disciple Xi was an essential member of the sect and couldn't just walk away from his duties. However, the man had not asked to come either. He'd told him he was.

"Why?"

"I woke this morning with the feeling that today will be the last time we see each other. I've had this feeling twice before, and each time, it was the last time I saw that person."

Tobias waved away Disciple Xi's concern. "Disciple Wo is more than skilled enough to keep me alive. He's done so before."

"This is not a matter for debate. I'm coming with you, whether you allow it or not. I've already received approval."

Disciple Xi pulled out several documents and passed them to Tobias to read. Tobias glanced over the paperwork. Disciple Xi had requested leave from the sect for a personal matter that was interfering with his cultivation and received permission to take as much time as needed to resolve the issue. He may not have had a sponsor, but his becoming an elder was considered to be inevitable, so anything that interfered with his cultivation had to be dealt with.

Tobias handed back the forms. "It seems I can't stop you. I'll wait for you at the gate while you collect your things."

Disciple Xi chuckled. "I have everything I need in my storage ring."

"You're what?"

 He held up his hand, displaying a silver ring with a large glass bead fitted into it. "Are you not familiar with storage rings?"

"No."

They weren't in the state's records, and reading the entire sect's archives would take Tobias years.

"They're a cultivation artifact that allows you to store mundane items. Small ones can store a large chest, and large ones can store dozens."

Tobias found that fascinating. "Can anyone use one?"

"No. You have to have opened an energy meridian. If you look closely, you will see my chest inside the glass bead."

Tobias squinted at the glass bead and spotted the wooden chest inside. "How does it work?"

Disciple Xi placed his hand above the ground, and a large wooden chest appeared. He put his hand on his chest, and it disappeared.

Tobias frowned, having a feeling he'd seen this trick before. "Does it have to be in a chest?"

"No, but it is the best way to utilise the space inside. Adding random items can cause them to get in the way of each other, reducing the available space. Core realm storage rings don't have this problem, though."

Tobias chuckled to himself.

"You find my ring amusing?"

Tobias shook his head. "I've been wondering how Elder Po keeps pulling books and scrolls out of thin air. I thought it was some secret technique, so I never asked."

Disciple Xi laughed. "Elders are notorious for playing that trick on disciples and those who visit. I'm also guilty of carrying on the tradition."

Tobias picked up his luggage and began to walk. "Do you even know where I'm going?"

"Where you're going does not matter."

Tobias smirked. "Very well."

Disciple Xi frowned. "You seem much too happy. Where are you going?"

"I've been assigned to fix Mist Sect's state assignment hall."

Disciple Xi paused. "Does Disciple Wo know?"

"Why do you think he's been so happy recently?"

Mist Sect was the sister sect of the Cloud Sect. The original founders of the sect were husband and wife. After reaching the peak of the sage realm together, they found they could not take the next step and ascend to the heavens.

A friend advised them to separate themselves from all distractions, which led to them breaking the Cloudy Mist Sect into the Cloud and Mist sects. After a century of silent contemplation, they broke through together and ascended to the heavens hand in hand. The elder who remained behind chose not to reintegrate the sects, and no one had achieved their cultivation heights since.

Disciple Xi walked, holding his hands behind his back. "Women are a distraction from cultivation. I will make sure Disciple Wo remembers this."

"I believe the founder of Cloud Sect proved your statement false. Women were only a distraction for him at the peak of cultivation before joining the heavens. Based on the fact that no one has been able to replicate his achievements in thousands of years, one could assume that women are necessary to reach the peak of cultivation. Feel free to point out any failings in my logic."

"Finding your dao partner is different. The founder was lucky to meet his other half. Their relationship is not the same as what you're suggesting. And if your assumption were correct, the Golden Sword and Blue Mountain Sects would surpass the Cloud and Mist Sect."

"Golden Sword and Blue Mountain Sect's elders have never reached the heights of your sects, so one could assume they have no path laid before them to speed their progress."

The middle of the sage realm was as far as they had gone.

The pair reached the stairs leading from the core disciples' sections of the sect and began descending the staircase to the inner disciple section.

Disciple Xi frowned. "I think I need to consider this matter while we travel."

Tobias wasn't surprised by his change in position. Disciple Xi was like that. He had no problem accepting new ideas and considering them without bias. It was part of why he could continue to improve his alchemy.

Most cultivators did not share his philosophy.

Disciple Wo was waiting for them when they reached the bottom of the stairs to the outer sect. Everything he needed was loaded into a bundle on his back.

Disciple Wo bowed as they approached. "You came to see us off, senior?"

Disciple Xi shook his head. "I woke with the feeling that this would be the last day I saw Magistrate Finch. So, I've decided to come with you."

Disciple Wo paused. "You too?"

"Explain."

"When I woke up, I had a feeling that this would be the last journey I'd take with him, but the feeling weakened as the sun rose."

"That was when I decided to come with you."

Disciple Wo glanced at his backpack. "I think I need to get more arrows, my second bow, maybe some medicinal pills, and some bandages. I'll catch up with you at the bottom of the Cloud Steps."

He turned and dashed off.

Disciple Xi watched him go. "I don't think I've seen someone progress as quickly as he has."

"He spent all of his saved sect points on pills."

"I know. I sold them to him. It still shouldn't have been enough for him to reach the initiate realm. Not even using your cultivation chamber can justify his growth."

"Well, he did it."

"Yes, but that raises a problem. There are two ways I know for someone to grow so quickly. An entity possesses him, or he has found his dao."

"I think you underestimate how much motivation a young man his age can get from the thought of visiting a sect full of beautiful women without any other men to compete with."

Disciple Xi frowned. "You're suggesting he forced his way into the initiate realm simply to become more attractive?"

"Wouldn't you if you could at his age?"

Disciple Xi paused and then laughed. "Perhaps your thoughts on the necessity of women are correct."