Three Lifetimes - Chapter 17

Authors note: go juju! Go juju! *cheers* oh yeah, dont forget to vote for your fave character on the three lifetimes index page! So far, Juju is winning by a lot lol. I honestly thought many of you would vote for Jin, but Juju is a good answer as well  

Because The Merry Wives and I had become mentally exhausted just by opening meridians, I thought it was better if I gave the crowd a chance to learn it themselves. This would save time and effort for all of us.

I thought of my teachings as long-term, and I basically wasnt in a rush. None of the commoners actually thought they would be able to compete in the Flying Lotus competition in the next year, but they were still glad to be able to learn how to cultivate properly, as none of them had any educational background on that matter.

I had stood on my dais again as I dictated to my disciples the formula of opening up ones meridians. I tried my best to simplify it, but many still did not understand. I had told them to raise their hand if they had any questions, and many palms shot up in the air in a matter of seconds. Soon, with their own strength, they were able to open up the meridians they had thought were closed forever. This gave them such a feeling of fulfillment that as each meridian was popped open, a crying sound could be heard as well, but it wasnt from the pain.

It was pleasing to note these people were so diligent, especially those middle-aged workers who thought they could not be anything else. I hoped this was also a way to build their self-esteem.

Since the adults who had become my disciples also had work to do during the day, I let the younger generation give them notes of what had transpired during my day teachings. It was a way for my teachings to become efficient, and a way to prevent anyone from being left out of the loop. The students of the school attended my lectures diligently, as the Principal himself had inserted it as compulsory in their curriculum.

I plotted out my teaching schedules which occurred thrice a week. For the first three months, I taught them all the basics of cultivation. The fourth to sixth month, I taught them easy methods of making cultivation enhancing pills. Pills were a luxury that only the nobles could afford to make, and I flipped that notion by making use of locally bought herbs, teaching them a different way of refinement to produce same or even greater effects. On the seventh month, I made them write down the skills I had simplified from The Jade Emperors skill books.

I am willing to share these Jade grade skills with you, but as someone under my sect, never ever reveal these hidden cards to any other sect! I declared and all of them shook their heads vehemently.

The crowd shouted. No way, master! We will never reveal these to the sect of the nobles! NEVAH!!! Okay, calm down.

When the days lecture ended , a group of children came to me with glittering eyes.

Our Master Goddess, you have not told us the name of our sect, one potato asked cheerily. More importantly, what was with the title Master Goddess ?!

You want me to give a sect name? Do I have to give one? I suppressed the whining tone in my voice.

Of course Sect Master! This is the first sect made of commoners in this country!

This is the sect thatll make you proud!

This is the sect where all our dreams come true!

These children were so enthusiastic.

We love you Master!

We are willing to die for you!

Why was this conversation turning morbid, hey!

Master, give the sect a name!

They all waited patiently in front of me with starry eyes, I felt pressured into meeting their naming expectations.

Ive got a good one, I said hastily, even if my brain was just full of air.

They looked at me expectantly, their faces shining. I gulped. Suddenly, I remembered my true hair color and what people had said about it.

Moonlight sect! I said victoriously. The sect wherethings happen at night, I added lamely. I needed one liter of creative juice now!

Yes! Its the sect that will be unfalteringly beautiful despite the darkness! One little girl squealed with her dimpled cheeks glowing.

Thats absolutely right! I gloated, secretly thanking the little girl for artistically twisting my words.

Hooray for the birth of Moonlight sect!

Cheers to the Moonlight sect!

The potatoes ran around the area, delivering news of the new name with fervid tones. I felt emotionally drained.

Seiran also suddenly became the sect mascot. He himself felt like the sacred beast that he was supposed to be, as the children delivered fish to his face even while he was sleeping idly under a tree. When Seiran slept around my neck, the children would look on me shyly, their fingers twitching. I knew what they wanted, so I often lent Seiran to them. After lessons, they would play around after eating. Sometimes, Seiran was bored of playing, so he just liked to sit on a childs shoulder like a regal King.

Right now Seiran became too obese, he could not fit himself onto a small shoulder, and decided to move back to my neck, where he hung like a mewling scarf. His obesity didnt actually affect his health, as sacred beasts of the dragon race were immune to such illnesses, but I felt I was being a bad master to let him grow horizontally without concern. When I told him to go on a diet, he cried pitifully, acting all cutesy around me.

Youre too heavy around my neck. Lose weight or I wont carry you ever again.

I didnt think it was such an effective threat.

As time passed, my sect grew in number. My teachings were passed down to these newcomers like it was a divine secret which could destroy the country. I didnt think it was so amazing, as that knowledge I imparted to them was common in Heaven, but every time the new sect members held multiple papers containing these secrets, they would look at me with even more reverence I thought was impossible.

I didnt mind such things, and was just happy that they themselves evolved into capable practitioners. I was happy to see the change in the commoners. One could tell from the glistening skin that turned heads in the city and from the way they held themselves upright, that their bearings were more confident.

Sometimes I held practice sessions. I segregated the people into different groups, according to their age. With the help of The Merry Wives, who had become very efficient in crowd control, the practices ran smoothly. I had given my disciples different skill books for more variety, and I watched each match meticulously, pointing out flaws on their usage of spiritual energy or footwork. All in all, things were going better than I expected.

The only thing that exceeded my expectations was how the commoners themselves pooled money in order to actually build an edifice that would solidify the sect. I had refuted them at first, saying that there was no need to build such a grand building, but they all persisted with such fervor I could not reject their scintillating faces. Although most commoners had only paltry income, there existed wealthy merchants in my sect who donated a staggering sum.

There didnt seem to be financial problems, but I still hesitated to comply to their arrangements. After all, establishing my sect would cause a huge uproar among the nobles and royals. Although my disciples were discreet about their learnings, I was sure their progress also reached the nobles ears, but it seemed there was no blatant reaction coming from them. Perhaps they didnt bother validating the rumor, as they thought commoners were always trash practitioners no matter what the case. However, if there actually was a Moonlight sect building popping out of nowhere, it was solid proof of our sects sudden rise of power.

I hoped the Emperor didnt think of this as the commoners way of an uprising. I had a feeling such would be the case. If commoners had found a foothold in the realm of practitioners, with their massive number, they could very well lead to a countrys demise if they were to band together.

I told myself what I was doing was helping them achieve their dreams of cultivation, and I honestly hoped they would not think of insurgency. The current monarch was not evil, I knew, but there were quite a number of nobles who pulled those evil strings and many commoners were dissatisfied by the way the current country was run. Whenever I thought of all these variables, it always caused me a splitting headache. I waved away such concerns and just agreed to my disciples proposition. Hey, at least they actually had a decent training hall now, as opposed to a muddy training field.

Jin had been locked up in his room for many months, only coming out after breaking through another level. He was very diligent, and I didnt dare intrude into his base. When he learned of my sect, he laughed out loud.

What did I say? He pinched my cheek. Congratulations, master. His lips trembled as he tried to contain his laughter.

Dont mock me, brat! I slapped his hand away from my face and harrumphed. You only have a few more days until the competition. Are you ready?

He shrugged his shoulders with a light grin. Ill be sure to take first place. I wonder what the prize will be? He actually looked like he was pondering over the prize. He was too confident!

Say that when youve actually won! I rolled my eyes. Besides, two of my disciples suddenly wanted to join in as well. Their cultivation speed is remarkable, so you shouldnt be so overconfident with your abilities. Who knows, perhaps my disciples will be bringing you down. I didnt think much of the nobles cultivation levels. Despite my disciples lower level, the Jade grade skills they learned from me would compensate the level difference.

Oh? Is this a bet? He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth rising. Ever since he turned fifteen, his shoulders became broader and his muscles were firmer from being in elementary stage Xian profound realm. I could even see a hint of stubble around his chiseled jawline, and I sometimes had the urge to scratch it out. All in all, he was transforming into a very masculinepotato. The potato would always be a potato.

What would I possibly bet on that you dont have? You already have me, after all, I threw in a flirtatious line that turned him into a ripe tomato (potato!). My disciples were actually still in the middle stages of Nascent realm, so battling against Jin was not an option as the competition was divided by realms.

Never mind. He casually turned around to hide his ruddy face. I said I was going to win this for you, so I will. I wont be half-hearted about this. After his flush subsided, he added while turning towards me, With your disciples in the match, it will definitely cause an uproar among the nobles. He grinned widely. We can say goodbye to being called trash forever.

Thats the plan. I returned his smile.