Vindicator’s Wrath - Chapter 5

When they reached at Heishan, Elder Zhao slowed to a stop. Taking out a wooden slip, he once again made odd motions with his hands and then threw the wooden slip toward the mountain. Once the wooden slip traveled a short distance it stopped as if caught by something. Around the wooden slip, a light screen became visible in front of the mountain. Ripples started to proliferate from the wooden slip as the light screen opened up leaving a large circle radiating from the slip in the center. The wooden slip flew back into Elder Zhao’s sleeve and the fan continued on passing through the new opening.

Once through the light barrier the scenery had a dramatic change. What was once a expansive forest covering the foot of the mountain became a wholly different sight. Ornate pagodas and temples rose from the slopes the mountain. Orderly pathways branched out to different parts of what appeared to be various living quarters settled upon various plateaus. ‘This is the Black Mountain Sect,’ Hong Wu thought to herself, trying to take all of it in.

Many people in gray or blue robes robes could be seen walking in groups towards a pavilion where dozens of men and women were already congregating. As the fan flew by, a few briefly glanced up with a mild curiosity before turning back to their companions to continue their conversations.

The fan continued up the mountain. As it did Hong Wu noticed the buildings become fewer and more magnificent. Reaching about the halfway mark to the summit, the fan finally settled down near a excessively large, richly decorated hall.

The building was a striking red color with intricately designed columns depicting dragons, quilins, phoenixes, and other mythical beasts all inlaid to the structures in gold. They entered the large doors into a foyer of rich mahogany flooring that led into a carefully cultivated courtyard. Elder Zhao led the girls along a path through the grassy courtyard past meticulously placed trees, an elegant rock garden, and a clear koi pond where fish of all colors swam lazily in trials that mesmerized anyone who focused on them for too long. Near the center of the courtyard, they arrived at a pavilion, where upon the group came face to face with a young man of about sixteen.

At least, Hong Wu thought he was a man. The flat chest suggested that he was, but his porcelain skin and effeminate facial features made it hard to distinguish. He had a softly pointed chin and sharp eyebrows. His hair was bound in a princely bun exposing a thin face resembling that of an egg. The young man dressed in fine gold robes lounged lazily upon a cushioned chair as if he had not a single care.

To one side there was a maid in a gray robe fanning him with a Palm leaf and to his other side was a similarly dressed maid slowly feeding him various delicacies. As she was feeding him, the man casually groped her breast. The girl did not react as if what he was doing was the most natural thing in the world.

Hong Wu was unnerved by this man in both appearance and behavior, but did not show it on her face like some of the others. Her days working at The Red Veil exposed her to much more lascivious behavior. She had seen men of all sorts engaging in acts of such degradation that went far beyond what she was currently witnessing. The only rules of The Red Veil were that you had to have the money to back your carnal desires.

Elder Zhao stopped short of entering the pavilion and respectfully bowed to the boy, “Young master, your servant has returned from Heishan city.”

The boy stood up from his seat and began walking towards the new arrivals. “You have worked hard Sect Uncle Zhao, thank you for your diligence.”

Elder Zhao turned to the girls he had just led to the hall with a face of displeasure. “Why have you yet to greet your new master?” he said in a cold, slightly threatening tone.

Terrified, the girls quickly recovered from their initial shock and made hasty bows all giving different responses.

“Greetings my lord!”

“Master!”

“Young Master!”

“Your excellency!”

“This one greets Junior Patriarch!”

Elder Zhao’s expression grew icy, his annoyance with the girls easily visible. The young man simply laughed at the haphazard greeting, “That is quite alright Sect Uncle. These girls are new and must be overwhelmed. Hello my beauties, my name is Gu Fei, though you may refer to me as Junior Patriarch. From today on you will all be a part of my Black Mountain Sect,” Gu Fei addressed the girls with a warm smile.

As Gu Fei continued he began to walk past the girls that were lined up for his inspection. “I am a man who appreciates true beauty. My father has requested the city of Heishan provide me with pure maidens to serve me as my retainers. This great honor is-” Gu Fei stopped in front of Hong Wu, his gaze traveling the revealed portions of her scar.

Hong Wu coward slightly under he new master’s assessing eye. Gu Fei only paused briefly before continuing as if nothing had happened, showing none of the displeasure Hong Wu assumed he was feeling. “This great honor is bestowed upon you as you are still left untouched and have high potential to become cultivators. Know, however, that not all of you will be chosen. I will only accept those whose potential in cultivation is exemplary. Those who are chosen will become my shadows on my adventures outside of the sect. You will all become my shield in the upcoming trial by fire held by the three sects of Dali country. Normally I would take Elder Zhao, but the trial by fire restricts Foundation Establishment cultivators from competing. Cultivate hard, and in two year’s time, we shall meet again to see who is worthy of becoming my follower,” his voice gained a slightly menacing tone, “and who is not.”

Finishing his spiel, Gu Fei cast a contemptuous glance at Yan. “Filthy, make sure all of these girls are cleaned and groomed Sect Uncle. Once they have been cleaned bring them to the Ascending Clouds Pavilion to give them their cultivation resources, then bring them to the Drifting Clouds Quarter and show them their residences.”

“As you command young master.” Elder Zhao bowed again and corralled the girls, leading them out of the grandiose structure back outside. Hopping back onto the fan, Elder Zhao brought the girls to a grotto where they were instructed to bathe themselves and then put on a set of gray robes that Elder Zhao provided. “These robes represent your status as outer sect disciples of the Black Mountain Sect. Work hard and you may earn your way into the inner sect and be presented with a set of blue robes.”

As Hong Wu cleansed herself from the grime of the past few days she reflected upon her experiences so far. ‘It seems that we have all been brought here just to serve that girlish man. He did say that we might not all be chosen, but the way he said it makes me think that not being chosen would result in something rather unpleasant. I must do well at whatever it is I am told to do. If those three that fainted back in the cavern are any example of what happens to those who do not make the cut, then I definitely must be chosen. I have a much higher hurdle to climb than the other girls considering my appearance, so I must be diligent in this cultivation the Junior Patriarch spoke of.’

Stepping out of the pool and donning their robes, Elder Zhao flew them back down the mountain to the pavilion they had flown over earlier. Many of the people who had originally gathered here had already left. Following Elder Zhao, the girls were led to the center of the pavilion where a small group of people in blue robes sat behind a set of tables.

Walking up to a rather portly man behind one of these tables, Elder Zhao pulled out the same wooden slip he used to enter the Sect, handed it to the man, and addressed him briskly. “I require thirteen booklets of the sect rules as well as the same number of sect tokens, copies of the Coldmist Breathing Technique, and sets of monthly cultivation resources for the new residents of the Drifting Clouds District.”

“Of course Elder Zhao,” The man in blue robes replied, he then tapped the small bag tied to his waist, and suddenly all Elder Zhao described appeared on the table in front of the portly fellow. Hong Wu eyed the man’s small bag with envy ‘Those bags sure are convenient, when will I be given one I wonder?’

“Each one of you grab one set of everything. Keep the sect token on you at all times. Once you have broken through to the first layer of Qi Condensation, use the instructions in your Coldmist Breathing Technique manual to brand the token with your spiritual qi. Before anything else, read through the entire booklet of sect rules. Anyone who breaks the rules will be dealt with harshly; not knowing the rules will not be accepted as an excuse. Finish collecting your belongings and I will take you to your living quarters.”

The girls walked up to the table one by one and each collected a set of objects laid out for them. When it was Hong Wu’s turn, she stepped forward and looked down at the objects available. On the table in front of her was a wooden slip similar to the one Elder Zhao used. On the token were inscribed the characters “Black Mountain.”

‘This must be the sect token he mentioned.’

She carefully placed it inside a hidden compartment conveniently sewn into her robes. Next she picked up a quarter meter long, dark blue stick of incense and three small spheres, one red and two white. Finally she grabbed two books and stepped back in line with the other girls.

Once everyone had obtained their new possessions, Elder Zhao led them on a path through the residential districts. Many of the cultivators in gray robes stole glances at the group and spoke to each other in hushed tones. This was slightly unsettling to Hong Wu, but she thought it was nothing out of the ordinary. Such a large group of new arrivals was sure to provoke some gossip. Once the fact that they were he to become the Junior Patriarch’s servants was revealed, Hong Wu was sure it would only augment the other cultivators curiosity.

The group passed by many roughly built shacks made of wood until they came to the end of a secluded section of the area. Here were two rows of small houses on either side of a dead end path. Though one could not call say they were as luxurious as Gu Fei’s palace, they were nowhere near the shoddy quality of the shacks they had just passed. Each house opened to a small, open courtyard bare of anything except grass and a large flat rock in the center. On the right there was a bedroom with nothing but a wooden bed lined up to the wall and a window facing east. To the left of the courtyard was a windowless room with an incense burner placed off to the side and a cushion in the middle. This room was apparently to be used for cultivation.

Elder Zhao gave the girls a few more instructions and warnings, telling them they could each choose whichever house they liked. He then set off atop his fan back up the mountain. After such a trying day the girls were too exhausted to talk with each other and instead offered brief goodbyes before choosing a residence and retreating to their rooms.

Hong Wu chose a house near the end of the rows of houses and did the same. Yan chose the house at the very end of the row right next to Hong Wu’s.

Before Hong Wu went to bed she used what little daylight she had left and began pouring over her newly required reading material. As suggested by Elder Zhao, she started with the rule-book. The pamphlet mostly covered rules of seniority and how to address others, areas that are out of bounds and who they are out of bounds to, how cultivation resources are distributed and where and when to pick them up, etc.

As the sun started setting, Hong Wu withdrew to her bedroom and laid down to sleep. ‘I am now a cultivator mother. What do you think of that?’

Hong Wu allowed herself a small smile before drifting off, imagining a woman she had never met congratulating her on her luck, wishing her a bright, carefree future.

Starting to pick up, but quite a bit of establishing the setting to go. Those familiar to the genre may see this as more of the same, but I don’t want to gloss over Hong Wu’s education to the cultivation world.

As always thanks for reading! Let me know what you think so far.