Chương 62: Chapter 60

"Xia, did you pack the clothes I told you about last night, the ones to change into as soon as we reach the room with the formation?" I ask in a low voice as I pick up a book from my desk and tuck it into my robes.

"Yes, Wen", she answers without hesitation, wearing a smile that doesn't quite manage to conceal her nervousness.

"Then it's time to get moving", I say, turning my head toward Lianhua.

"Very well, Zhāohuán Wen", Lianhua replies with her usual composure, then takes hold of the handles of my chair. Without the need for further words, Lianhua begins pushing me with her customary steady stride while Xia follows at our side, her step light but nervous. We soon reach the exit of the Pavilion, where the Nei Wei assigned as our escort are already waiting.

Upon seeing us, they fall into formation without needing any command, and without stopping, we set out in silence and make our way into the interior of the Imperial Palace. Shortly after leaving the Pavilion, we pass by the park. As we go, I look over and see several workers dismantling the statues and columns and sweeping away the sand, while Lingxi, my mother's Fei Yi, oversees the work with her usual efficiency.

"I should have thought it through better", I sigh as I settle into my chair.

"There was no reason to schedule the formation appointment for the very day after my birthday. That way we could have spared ourselves from asking my mother for yet another favor with everything related to the celebration."

"Don't worry, Zhāohuán Wen", Lianhua replies without breaking stride.

"I'm sure your mother, deep down, was pleased to have been involved in the preparations, even if only by helping you organize them. And besides, it's better not to delay the Emperor's gifts, because in the minds of some people, doing so could be considered an affront to his person."

"I see", I say after a moment of silence, and I fall quiet as the group resumes its pace. We finish crossing the park and continue on our way until the main staircase of the Imperial Palace's central building comes into view. Once there, we skirt the main staircase and head to a side of the building, toward the same stairway they took me to on my eighth birthday.

"We'll handle this", one of the Nei Wei says as she positions herself behind me. The Nei Wei grip my chair from the sides, lift me in one clean motion, and carry me up the stairs. The movement is firm, without any jolting, and soon they set me down again at the top of the landing. From here we enter the building, and I admire for the second time the corridors of this part of the palace, with their painted wooden columns and ceilings adorned with imperial frescoes.

I can't help but look up, wondering once more whether the paintings truly depict the stories they describe or whether they've already been altered over the centuries, as tends to happen. We finally arrive at the room where the Qi gathering formation is located. Just as I remembered, it's guarded by two Jin Wei, who step forward with a raised hand when they see us.

"Halt. No one may enter without permission", one of them tells us in an impersonal tone.

"State the reason for your presence."

"We have authorization for the use of the Emperor's Qi gathering room in the name of the Zhāohuán", Lianhua responds, producing a set of folded papers from her sleeve and handing them over. The Jin Wei examines the seals, holding them up against the light, and finally nods.

"Everything is in order. However, only the Zhāohuán and two handmaidens may enter. The escort must remain outside", he states firmly.

"That won't be a problem", Lianhua replies. The Jin Wei open the door with a gesture and Lianhua pushes my chair inside while Xia follows, closing rank behind us. The moment we're through, the door shuts behind us with a muffled thud, leaving us sealed within. The room, as I remembered, is spacious and austere. Inside, the formation occupies its entire center, and the only other feature is a second door leading to the bath.

"Xia, get changed", I tell her.

"The sooner you start, the more time you'll have to make the most of the formation."

"Right away, Wen", she replies, and pulls a plain unbleached cotton tunic from her bundle. With quick hands she unfastens her handmaiden's clothes and strips them off rapidly. In moments she's wearing the tunic, her hair gathered with a simple ribbon.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Ready", she confirms, eyes wide open and clearly nervous.

"Then take your place in the center of the circle", I tell her.

"Once the formation is active, you know what to do. The only thing I need to add is that if you hear us tell you to stop, you stop that very instant. Understood?"

"Understood, Wen", she says, and walks to the center of the formation, where she sits in the lotus position and waits.

"Lianhua, activate the formation", I say. Lianhua says nothing. She simply walks to the edge of the formation and touches one of its spirit crystals, causing it to light up to indicate it's active.

"Start gently, Xia", I say without raising my voice.

"Just remember everything you've practiced and what I've told you. Only the ones you have pressed against your skin."

"All right, Wen", she answers, then closes her eyes.

"I'm going to read to pass the time while we wait out our allotted period", I tell Lianhua as I pull out the book I brought from my room.

"In the meantime, do as you like."

"I'd rather keep watch to make sure nothing goes wrong", Lianhua says. I notice she's already positioned herself where she can monitor both the formation and Xia.

"Then use the technique you learned, the Vision of Horus", I suggest as I open the book to a silk bookmark.

"That way you can train and keep watch at the same time." However, an idea suddenly crosses my mind.

"Wait, Lianhua, one more thing before I start reading", I say quietly, running my thumb along the edge of the book.

"How is your practice of the Vision of Horus going?"

"Satisfactorily", she replies without taking her eyes off Xia, in that measured, precise tone she always uses, but something in her voice makes me frown slightly. She doesn't sound very convinced. I narrow my eyes and watch her in silence for a few seconds.

"Lianhua", I say with a tone of exasperation.

"I know you well enough to tell you're hiding something, so tell me what's going on." For a moment there's no response, only the faint hum of the activated formation and the sound of Xia's rhythmic breathing. Finally, Lianhua shifts her gaze from Xia and looks at me.

"I didn't want to trouble you with my problems, Zhāohuán Wen", she says quietly.

"Lianhua", I reply as I close the book again.

"I'm the one who decides what troubles me and what doesn't, so out with it." She sighs, lowers her gaze for an instant, then looks at me with a neutral expression, though her eyes betray a hint of frustration. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

"My practice has stalled", she confesses with a certain note of frustration.

"When I use the technique, I can already see my surroundings clearly as though observing them from the sky like an eagle, just as the technique describes. But from that point I don't know how to progress further, since the description didn't provide any additional details." Hearing her, I think over what she's told me for a few seconds and soon see the problem as clear as day.

I know Lianhua would have figured it out sooner or later on her own, she's not stupid, but I have the advantage of knowing what the concept of an isometric viewpoint is, something so basic in so many games from my former world that the solution to her problem is easy for me to see.

"How do you usually train it, exactly?" I ask, keeping my tone neutral, though I can already guess the answer.

"Normally I sit in the lotus position in the center of the courtyard and activate it", she replies without hesitation.

"From there, the aerial view allows me to see the entire Pavilion courtyard from above."

"That's the problem, and that's why you're stuck", I tell her firmly.

"You've only been using it while sitting still. You need to start using it while doing other things. So next time, activate it and then walk around the courtyard."

"Walk with the technique active?" she asks, surprised.

"You mean at the same time I maintain the overhead view?"

"Yes", I say, and raise my hand so she won't interrupt.

"Hear me out to the end before you ask questions." She nods, and her expression shifts as I notice her focus entirely on my words, which gives me the perfect opportunity to explain myself calmly.

"The first thing you need to do is test whether you can walk while using the technique", I say, marking each word.

"If you can, then we're on the right track, because it would mean the technique is designed to allow it."

"And the next step would be getting used to it", I continue.

"Because seeing yourself from above while you walk is sure to feel disorienting, and you'll have to learn to coordinate your movements so they respond to your new viewpoint." She nods slowly to show she understands but doesn't interrupt.

"Once you're accustomed to walking like that, the next step is obvious", I go on.

"Increase the complexity of your movements. Start running, then jumping, and eventually be able to perform any movement you normally make, all while keeping the technique active." I see she's about to say something, but I raise a hand.

"I'm not finished yet." Lianhua closes her mouth, nods in silence, and keeps listening.

"That's the first part of the training", I say without interruption.

"The second part is learning to perform everyday tasks while maintaining the technique. And that will be harder, because it's not just about moving. You'll have to learn to notice small details in your surroundings while, from what I understand of your technique, you're still seeing everything at once, since the technique doesn't allow you to focus your sight." I pause, and anticipating another possible question, I raise my hand again to head her off before she can ask it.

"I know I can't be sure whether that will be possible or not", I say before she can ask.

"But as a preliminary goal it's a good one, and it can be adjusted as you discover what can and can't be done. However, there's still a third step to consider." Lianhua watches me in silence, her face serious and her lips pressed together.

"The third step is combat", I say gravely.

"Once you can perform normal tasks, we'll need to consider to what extent you can fight with the technique active." I shift to a more comfortable position in the chair, somewhat uneasy with the subject, but given that Lianhua is my bodyguard, and knowing that there have already been three attempts on my life, it's better to address this as soon as possible, so I press on.

"Now, I'll admit I'm hardly an expert on that matter", I say plainly.

"You almost certainly know more about it than I do, and I have serious doubts about the feasibility of using it in close-quarters combat, so extensive testing will be needed to determine that." Lianhua tilts her head slightly at my words, in that gesture she uses when evaluating information, but she doesn't argue.

"But its advantage for ranged combat, once you've grown accustomed to it, would be obvious", I tell her.

"If you were using a bow, for instance, while maintaining the technique, the ability to see the entire battlefield from above and know where every enemy is so you can react accordingly, that would give you absolute supremacy on the field. You'd be the absolute terror of your adversaries." I say nothing more. I simply watch as her eyes, at last, light up. She doesn't speak yet, but I can see her mind already beginning to organize everything I've told her and to visualize what I've just described.

And for the first time since the conversation began, I know she's no longer stuck, and that she'll finally be able to continue progressing with the technique in order to reach whatever lies beyond those mental blocks of hers. After our conversation, I leave her in peace to think over my words and pull the book from my robes again. I open it to where I left the silk bookmark and am about to resume reading when, by reflex, I glance toward Xia. And I stop, surprised by the sight before me.

A thick, black liquid is slowly seeping from the pores of her skin, covering her little by little in an oily layer while the cotton tunic is already beginning to cling to her body from a substance that is not only viscous but unmistakably foul-smelling. I frown at Xia's state and shift my gaze to Lianhua.

"Is this what it looks like when someone is cultivating and expelling impurities?" I ask with curiosity. Lianhua takes a moment to respond, as her mind still seems to be turning over everything we just discussed.

"Yes", she finally replies.

"Everyone looks the same when expelling impurities. The amount and the density can vary somewhat, but the general appearance is the same." I look back at Xia, fascinated partly by the grotesqueness of the process and partly by what it represents.

"And if you look at the rate she's expelling them, can you tell whether she'll be able to do the same thing I did?" I ask after a while in silence. Lianhua is quiet for longer than usual before answering.

"She does appear to be advancing her cultivation at a faster rate than what is typically normal", she acknowledges.

"Even with a formation like this one. But she hasn't reached the pace you achieved in your time." I sigh softly at her answer.

"Then all we can do is wait and see how far she can advance in a full session, so we have something to compare", I say.

"And for that, we simply have to wait." With those words, I open the book again and begin reading where I left off while Lianhua returns to her contemplative watch, her eyes attentive to both the formation and the door. Time passes slowly until Lianhua breaks the silence with her soft but firm tone.

"There is only the time it takes for one incense stick to burn before the three periods we are permitted come to an end." I nod as I close the book carefully and slide it back inside my robes.

"Then there's enough time for Xia to clean herself up before we leave", I say, turning toward her. She's now coated in a layer of impurities so thick the color of her clothes is barely visible.

"Xia", I call out.

"You need to stop now." But she doesn't stir at my words and continues with her eyes closed, completely absorbed in her task.

"You tell her", I say to Lianhua.

"It seems she can't hear me." Lianhua nods, takes a step forward, and says in a clear, unhesitating voice "Ling Xia, stop cultivating immediately." I watch as Xia shudders and, after a few seconds, her eyes open as she blinks.

"Is it time to go already?" she asks, her voice slightly thick from having spent so long cultivating.

"Yes", I reply with a faint smile.

"It's time to go." She starts to get up, but the moment she feels the viscosity and the smell of the substance covering her, she wrinkles her nose and lets out a cry of disgust "Blech! What is this stuff? That's revolting! It smells awful!"

"There's a bath behind that door", I tell her, gesturing with my chin.

"Go clean yourself up before we all pass out." Xia needs no further encouragement and dashes toward the door leading to the bath while Lianhua and I watch her with amusement.

"Gather her clothes and let's follow her", I say.

"That way you can help her wash if she needs it."

"There's no need for you to come in, Zhāohuán Wen", she replies.

"She can manage on her own."

"I'd rather go in, in case the guards open the door", I say firmly.

"I don't want them to see me alone and start unnecessary rumors." Lianhua nods without protest, gathers Xia's handmaiden's clothes from the floor, and begins pushing my chair toward the bath door, just as we hear Xia's voice from inside calling out "Wen! Can I start getting this gunk off me already? I'm dying of disgust!"

"Don't wait for us", I call back as we enter. We enter the bath, which, just like last time, is simply a room with a couple of tubs and clean towels. Lianhua moves to Xia's side to help, though Xia scrubs off most of the impurities herself with vigor and an expression of revulsion. As I watch her scour the sticky substance from her arms, I ask Lianhua "How far do you think she's advanced?"

"Nearly halfway", she answers without hesitation.

"And to accomplish that in a single session is unimaginable under normal conditions."

"So does that make me one of those geniuses from the novels?" Xia asks from the tub, turning toward us with an enthusiastic grin. I burst out laughing "You're the cultivator who's a kitchen helper by day and a secret genius by night." Xia scoops up a handful of water and flings it at me with more than decent aim "Don't make fun of me!" While I bicker with Xia, I catch Lianhua off to the side, suppressing a smile.

"Ling Xia", she says at last in her usual serious tone.

"Behave yourself."

"It doesn't matter", I interject as I dry myself with my sleeve.

"Actually, you'll need to dampen my hair a bit later so it looks like I bathed too. That way I won't arouse suspicion." I look at Xia then with a more serious expression.

"But remember, everything that happened here has to remain a secret." Xia nods at once "I remember, Wen. Don't worry." Shortly after, I watch as Xia finishes cleaning herself with Lianhua's final assistance and puts her handmaiden's clothes back on. Then Lianhua dampens my hair with a wet towel, giving me the appearance of having bathed as well.

We check the room one last time to make sure we haven't forgotten anything important, and the only thing we leave behind is the tunic Xia used, dirty and foul-smelling, set to one side for someone to deal with. Given its size, no one will doubt us if we say I was the one who wore it. With no further matters to attend to and our time in the room at an end, we head back to the exit, where our escort awaits to accompany us on the return to the Pavilion.