Chương 12: The Azure Serpent Lake

Li Yu's first week as a personal disciple was a whirlwind of quiet, diligent study. He did not leave his new residence on Azure Cloud Peak. He immersed himself in the two techniques his master had bestowed upon him. The «Spirit-Link Contract» was a profound and intricate art, detailing the delicate process of weaving one's spiritual energy with a beast's soul, forming a bond of mutual trust and shared power. It was a far cry from the simple, instinctual connection he currently possessed.

The «Azure Water Scripture» was his shield and soon his alibi. He studied its first level meticulously, memorizing the Qi circulation pathways and the esoteric principles. It was a genuinely powerful technique and he could feel that practicing it would indeed build a solid foundation. However, compared to the domineering, all-consuming nature of his «Myriad Rivers Returning to the Sea Art», it was like a gentle stream next to a boundless ocean.

He practiced the scripture during the day allowing a minuscule and detectable amount of Qi to circulate within his body. To any observer, he would appear as a complete novice, painstakingly taking his first steps on the path of cultivation. His nights were a different story. The spiritual energy on Azure Cloud Peak was rich but nothing like drawing qi directly. Without a sea of aquatic life to draw from, his true cultivation stalled. He felt like a great whale stranded in a shallow pond.

The twenty spirit stones and the Qi Gathering Pill he received were precious but he knew they were finite resources. His true path to power lay in the place his master had promised him. After a week, Sister Feng arrived at his courtyard.

"Master has finalized your appointment," she said, her tone unchanged.

"The Azure Serpent Lake is ready for you. Gather your things. I will escort you." She was still unreadable as ever. The journey took them not down the mountain like he thought but deeper into the sect's core. They passed through a guarded valley where the air shimmered with the power of restrictive formations. This was the inner sect, a place where only those of significant status were permitted. The disciples here were fewer but each one radiated a powerful aura.

Most were in the Qi Condensation Realm, a level of existence where they no longer just tempered their bodies but started to command the spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth. At last they arrived at a vast mist-shrouded lake nestled in a secluded verdant basin. The Azure Serpent Lake. It was ten times the size of all the outer sect's Aquatic Pens combined. One large pagoda-style building stood on the shore, serving as the steward's office and residence.

The air was thick with a damp ancient scent and the spiritual energy radiating from the water was so potent it felt like a physical pressure. Li Yu could feel dozens of powerful dormant consciousnesses in the deep dark water—creatures whose auras made the Iron-Skinned Piranhas seem like harmless minnows. Two inner disciples stood guard at the entrance to the main pagoda. They were both at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm, their expressions stern and their bodies honed like fine weapons.

When they saw Sister Feng, they bowed respectfully. When they saw Li Yu, a flicker of confusion crossed their faces.

"This is Junior Brother Li Yu," Sister Feng announced.

"By order of Elder Ning, he is the new Junior Steward of the Azure Serpent Lake. He will have full authority over the care and management of the beasts herein. You will afford him the respect due to his station." The two disciples exchanged a look of disbelief but they dared not question an order that came directly from an elder. They gave Li Yu a stiff, perfunctory bow.

"Greetings, Junior Steward Li." They had heard that Elder Ning had taken a young disciple but they didn't think she would send him here. The thought around the sect would be that he was going to stay close to the peak to focus on cultivation. Inside the pagoda they met the Senior Steward, a grizzled middle-aged man named Brother Kai. He was a cultivator at the Second Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, and his aura was as deep and steady as a mountain.

He had a weary, cynical look in his eyes, the look of a man who had seen too many arrogant young geniuses in his time.

"Welcome to the Azure Serpent lake." Brother Kai said despite his weary look. He looked Li Yu up and down, making no effort to hide his skepticism.

"The boy who tamed a drake with a pet fish. I've heard the stories." He was concerned that this young boy would cause trouble for him here. He would have to keep a close eye on him to make sure he didn't.

"This disciple greets Senior Steward Kai," Li Yu said, bowing respectfully. He knew this man's attitude would set the tone for his entire life here. Li Yu would be learning from this older man.

"Master's orders are clear," Sister Feng interjected coolly.

"Junior Brother Li is to be given full authority. Your role is to assist him and ensure the smooth operation of the facility." This took Li Yu by surprise, he thought he was being sent here to learn from Senior Steward Kai but his master had actually made him be the one in charge. Was this another test? He wasn't sure what his master's thoughts were but he would just have to do his best. Brother Kai let out a short, humorless laugh.

"Of course. The elder's will is absolute." He turned his cynical gaze back to Li Yu.

"Your first task is to solve the problem of the Black-Vein River Wyrm. It has refused to eat for a month. All of our beast tamers have tried and failed. Since you're the miracle worker, I'm sure you'll have it eating by nightfall." It was clear that Brother Kai was not too pleased to all of a sudden be working for someone else. Someone that was untested and unproven. He knew if something were to go wrong, he would be the one that got in trouble instead of this boy.

He found himself in the role of a babysitter, something he did not sign up for. His words were from his frustrations with the whole series of events, he didn't actually dislike Li Yu himself. Since the young boy was here though, he had to at least see what he was capable of. It was also to humble the young boy, to make it so he wouldn't let his new found authority go straight to his head. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Sister Feng frowned at Brother Kai's words but this was a matter of the Lake's internal management. She shouldn't interfere in their relationship and leave it to them to sort it out.

"I have delivered him. My task is complete," she said, before turning and leaving Li Yu alone with his new, somewhat hostile subordinate.

"The wyrm is in the deep-water enclosure at the northern end of the lake," Brother Kai said with a dismissive wave.

"It's a Rank 4 Fierce Beast." Li Yu's heart pounded. A Rank 4 beast! Its power was equivalent to the Qi Condensation Realm, a match for Brother Kai himself. This was the deep end and he had been thrown into it without a moment's hesitation.

"Thank you for the guidance, Senior Steward," Li Yu said, his voice calm. He turned and walked towards the northern shore, his mind thinking about what would come next. The Black-Vein River Wyrm's enclosure was a massive, deep section of the lake, separated by a powerful underwater formation barrier. Li Yu stood on the stone platform overlooking the enclosure with Brother Kai. He peered into the dark and murky water. He couldn't see the beast but he could feel it. It was a vast and deeply angry consciousness.

It was like a dormant volcano of fury. He didn't need to get close. His absorption range was already sixty feet and the wyrm was resting at the bottom, well within his reach. He sat down, crossed his legs and closed his eyes. He extended his spiritual sense not to tame but to listen. The wyrm's anger was a roaring inferno but Li Yu had spent his life sifting through the emotions of beasts. He looked past the anger and found the source: pain. A sharp, persistent and grinding pain located in its lower jaw.

He focused his senses, creating a detailed mental image. He could "see" one of its massive, saber-like teeth. It was cracked and a shard of what felt like an iron-rich meteorite—likely from a previous battle—was lodged deep within the root. The wound was infected, causing the beast immense and constant agony. It wasn't refusing to eat out of pride; it was refusing to eat because the act of chewing would be excruciating. The solution was simple but the execution was incredibly dangerous. The shard had to be removed.

He walked back to the main pagoda. Brother Kai looked up from a scroll, "Back already? That was quick." he said in surprise.

"Senior Steward," Li Yu said calmly.

"The wyrm is not sick. It has an infected tooth. A piece of an iron meteorite is lodged in its lower right jaw. That is the source of its pain and its refusal to eat." Brother Kai looked at him in surprise yet again.

"What? How could you possibly know that? We've checked around with our spiritual sense and found nothing."

"My affinity allows me to feel their discomfort," Li Yu lied smoothly.

"I require a set of refined steel tongs, at least ten feet long for safety. I also need a basin of high-grade anesthetic powder, the kind used for surgical procedures on demonic beasts. And finally, I need you to prepare the wyrm's favorite food—a live, Rank 3 Armored-Shell Turtle." The Senior Steward stared at him, his mind reeling. The boy's diagnosis was impossibly specific. If he was right, it was a display of diagnostic ability that was quite profound. If he was wrong, he was about to get himself killed.

The risk was all on the boy. The potential reward however, belonged to the entire facility.

"Okay, we will get those for you," Brother Kai said, a calculating light in his eyes. An hour later, Li Yu stood on the platform again. The long steel tongs felt heavy in his hands. A large basin of anesthetic powder was placed nearby. Brother Kai and the two inner disciple guards watched from a safe distance, their faces a mixture of morbid curiosity and skepticism. Li Yu took a deep breath to steel himself. This beast could kill him if it wanted to.

He focused his will on the wyrm sending a simple and clear message through his spiritual sense. I know your pain. I can help you. But you must be calm. You must trust me. He then took the live Armored-Shell Turtle and using all his strength tossed it into the enclosure. The turtle was a delicacy the wyrm hadn't tasted in months. Its powerful alluring scent filled the water. The wyrm's massive head, larger than a carriage, broke the surface of the water. Its eyes, like molten gold, fixed on the turtle.

But it hesitated, the desire for food warring with the fear of pain. This was the moment. Li Yu took a large scoop of the anesthetic powder and tossed it into the water directly in front of the wyrm's snout. The potent sedative was instantly absorbed through its gills. The wyrm's movements became sluggish, its eyelids drooping. Li Yu sent another command, this time imbued with the full authoritative pressure of his Koi spirit's bloodline. Open your mouth.

The command resonated with the wyrm's own ancient aquatic ancestry. Dazed by the sedative and awed by the higher-order bloodline, the great beast obeyed. Its massive jaws, lined with hundreds of dagger-like teeth, slowly opened. Li Yu didn't hesitate. He leaned over the platform, plunging the long steel tongs into the wyrm's mouth. His spiritual sense guided him with perfect precision since he knew where it was. The tongs moved past rows of deadly teeth, to the one that was cracked and infected.

He located the shard of metal which was long and thin. It was hard to detect and was probably the reason why it was missed. Finally with a firm grip Li Yu clamped the tongs around it. He pulled swiftly and firmly. The shard was lodged deep. He channeled the full power of his «Abyssal Leviathan Physique» into his arms with his muscles bulging under his robes. With a sickening crunch the shard came free.

Li Yu yanked the tongs back just as the wyrm, roaring in a mixture of pain and relief, snapped its jaws shut with a sound like a thunderclap. The anesthetic was already wearing off. The great beast, now free from the source of its agony, immediately devoured the waiting turtle in a single, satisfying gulp. Li Yu stood on the platform panting slightly. His heart was hammering like crazy. He had done it. He turned to face the three onlookers. Their faces were frozen in masks of surprise and shock.

The young boy had actually done it! They had just witnessed an eleven-year-old boy perform dental surgery on a Rank 4 Fierce Beast as if he were pulling a splinter from a child's finger. Brother Kai walked forward.

"A job well done Junior Steward! I must admit I misjudged you." He said to Li Yu. He then looked at the calm boy before him and bowed slightly, "I look forward to working together with you. You are more capable than I thought!" He said while slightly laughing. He was excited that this boy wasn't going to just be a burden to him. It did seem like this young boy had some skill. Li Yu nodded, accepting his form of apology. He hadn't done anything bad to him.

He had only been skeptical about his abilities and understandably so. Now that Li Yu had revealed his skills, working together will be much easier. Mutual trust made everything easier. In the quiet of his new residence overlooking the lake, he did not study that night. He sat in his cultivation chamber and reached out with his senses. He could feel the immense, pure Qi of the now-contented Black-Vein River Wyrm. He activated the «Myriad Rivers Returning to the Sea Art» and began to draw upon its power.

A stream of Qi, so pure and potent it was almost liquid, flowed into him. It was on a completely different level from the Rank 2 piranhas. The energy flooded his meridians and nourished his body. Once he was done he looked out at the moonlit surface of the Azure Serpent Lake. This was going to be his new domain and his new cultivation paradise. He had proven his worth and he had secured his little place in the sect.