We both sighed heavily, leaning back on our chairs after eating far too much food. Sen’o had confessed to his crimes of adventuring without me. Considering I had used the time to gain my first creature partner I was not all too angry.
“I think it’s time we set about finding you a Master,” said Sen’o.
“Isn’t that what you are?”
“To a certain extent,” he admitted. “But, the Sect requires you to have a real Master.”
“Can we share Elder Laaka?” I asked.
“Well, I found out something a bit more up your alley,” he bragged.
“Oh really?”
“Indeed, this Sect has a beast master.” I knew exactly who he was talking about.
“Elder Sayek?” I asked smugly.
“How did you know?” Sen’o deflated a little.
“He’s quite famous, a regular feature in the books I read about Gutura.” I said nonchalantly. “Although he has quite high standards.”
“You already asked about him?” asked Sen’o, catching on.
“I asked Chit, she said he was not taking new disciples at the moment.”
“Oh,” he sighed.
“Thanks for the help though,” I chuckled.
“Anytime.”
“Would you mind showing me the way? To Elder Laaka I mean…”
“Sure,” he said as we left the dining hall. I saw that Sen’o was drawing a lot of attention but if he was aware of it he did not show it. It seemed like the statement he made yesterday had its intended effect.
We walked up the tower, I was nervous to meet her. Even more so thanks to Sen’o not sharing any information about her whatsoever. Elder Laaka, someone a multiple time reincarnator was willing to call Master.
“Down here,” he suddenly said.
“What?” I asked confusedly.
“Follow me,” he affirmed. I followed him down a dark alley.
“What is this?” I asked. “Does she live in the dark? Is she blind?” I head Sen’o laugh in reply, maybe that meant I was right. I was not sure.
“Alright,” said Sen’o. I couldn’t see him anymore.
“What do you mean alright?” I spat angrily. “What do I do now?”
“Whatever it takes?” he said in a way that made me think even he was not sure.
I heard his footsteps disappear behind me. I crossed my arms in anger, he could have at least provided some context as to what was happening here.
Suddenly there was a noise coming from further in. Footsteps, that seemed to be coming closer.
“Hello?” I asked, not in the mood for games anymore.
“Hello,” a song-like voice replied, echoing off the walls beautifully. “Another one, already?” she exclaimed.
“On account of your glowing recommendations,” I said a little sarcastically.
“I am aware of my unpopularity, girl. Perhaps you have come here to mock me?”
“That, and to become your disciple,” I knew I was being snarky but Sen’o had me miffed from his infuriatingly tight lips regarding Elder Laaka and the pitch-black tunnel did not help matters.
“You must be new to the world of cultivation. It’s customs and what not…”
“No, I’m just rude,” I answered. It was true to a certain extent, even if the majority of my knowledge came from the public library where not a lot about cultivation can be found except story books. Respect your Elders was really quite high on the to-do list. Something I had rather impressively ignored.
“Right…” the woman exhaled.
“I’m also nervous, and I get rude when I’m nervous.”
“It takes courage to admit that,” said the woman. Her tone warmed slightly.
“I apologise, Elder. May I start from the beginning?”
“Unfortunately not, although I bet you wish you could.”
“Far too often,” I agreed easily.
“As it should be. It means you have learned,” she said sagely. “So, now that you have learned. What is it that you will say?”
“This is all quite overwhelming, Elder. I just…” I couldn’t stop the hitch of my voice which I knew had betrayed the fact that I was starting to cry. “I just need some help.”
“Darling, we all need help sometimes.” I felt a hand wrap around my shoulder, then a soft embrace as the woman hugged me. She was slightly shorter. I hugged her back immediately.
I cried into her nape for a while.
“This is an atypical way of requesting tutelage,” she remarked softly. I could not help but laugh a little.
“Is it working?” I managed to ask between sobs.
“Certainly, what is your soul root?”
“Nervous Tamer.”
“Ah, what a lovely one. You are in your 20s?”
“24,” I replied. These cultivators really cared about age. Curiously so, considering the whole point was to become immortal.
“I feel you tensing up darling, don’t worry. I do not care about your progress before meeting me, only after. It is simply to get a good idea of what I can trust you with.”
I nodded into her neck. I could feel it was very wet now. Feeling bad, I dislodged myself. I was thankful now that it was dark.
“I need you to be able to see in this darkness by the end of the week. I will recommend a technique based on creatures like the owl or cat. It will fit best with your soul root.”
“Okay,” I muttered feebly.
“With the Nervous Tamer soul root, your choice for a weapon should be simple.”
“Oh?” I asked, genuinely curious as to what killing tool I was to be burdened with. Then I felt a tap on my head.
“Your mind, sweetie. Get yourself a couple of combative carnivorous creatures to do the dirty work for you,” she giggled. It turned out I would be the killing tool. “Actually, I’m sure you can tame yourself a creature right here in the sect.”
“Really?” I asked excitedly.
“He’s called Sen’o, and he’s your new brother.”
“Actually, he’s the one that brought me here. I already know him.”
“I had a feeling,” she chuckled. “Take these, you’ll need them to identify yourself. Have fun, sweetie. I’ll be here if you need me.”
I felt her hand on mine, then she left. I walked back the way I came finding Sen’o at the end of the tunnel, waiting patiently on the stairs.
“How did it go?” he asked nervously after seeing my puffy, freshly cried face.
“Swimmingly,” I laughed. “You’re looking at your new sister.”
“Fantastic,” he exclaimed with genuine joy.
“Let me go and wash my face, then we can find ourselves some fancy techniques.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he agreed quickly.
We both sighed heavily, leaning back on our chairs after eating far too much food. Sen’o had confessed to his crimes of adventuring without me. Considering I had used the time to gain my first creature partner I was not all too angry.
“I think it’s time we set about finding you a Master,” said Sen’o.
“Isn’t that what you are?”
“To a certain extent,” he admitted. “But, the Sect requires you to have a real Master.”
“Can we share Elder Laaka?” I asked.
“Well, I found out something a bit more up your alley,” he bragged.
“Oh really?”
“Indeed, this Sect has a beast master.” I knew exactly who he was talking about.
“Elder Sayek?” I asked smugly.
“How did you know?” Sen’o deflated a little.
“He’s quite famous, a regular feature in the books I read about Gutura.” I said nonchalantly. “Although he has quite high standards.”
“You already asked about him?” asked Sen’o, catching on.
“I asked Chit, she said he was not taking new disciples at the moment.”
“Oh,” he sighed.
“Thanks for the help though,” I chuckled.
“Anytime.”
“Would you mind showing me the way? To Elder Laaka I mean…”
“Sure,” he said as we left the dining hall. I saw that Sen’o was drawing a lot of attention but if he was aware of it he did not show it. It seemed like the statement he made yesterday had its intended effect.
We walked up the tower, I was nervous to meet her. Even more so thanks to Sen’o not sharing any information about her whatsoever. Elder Laaka, someone a multiple time reincarnator was willing to call Master.
“Down here,” he suddenly said.
“What?” I asked confusedly.
“Follow me,” he affirmed. I followed him down a dark alley.
“What is this?” I asked. “Does she live in the dark? Is she blind?” I head Sen’o laugh in reply, maybe that meant I was right. I was not sure.
“Alright,” said Sen’o. I couldn’t see him anymore.
“What do you mean alright?” I spat angrily. “What do I do now?”
“Whatever it takes?” he said in a way that made me think even he was not sure.
I heard his footsteps disappear behind me. I crossed my arms in anger, he could have at least provided some context as to what was happening here.
Suddenly there was a noise coming from further in. Footsteps, that seemed to be coming closer.
“Hello?” I asked, not in the mood for games anymore.
“Hello,” a song-like voice replied, echoing off the walls beautifully. “Another one, already?” she exclaimed.
“On account of your glowing recommendations,” I said a little sarcastically.
“I am aware of my unpopularity, girl. Perhaps you have come here to mock me?”
“That, and to become your disciple,” I knew I was being snarky but Sen’o had me miffed from his infuriatingly tight lips regarding Elder Laaka and the pitch-black tunnel did not help matters.
“You must be new to the world of cultivation. It’s customs and what not…”
“No, I’m just rude,” I answered. It was true to a certain extent, even if the majority of my knowledge came from the public library where not a lot about cultivation can be found except story books. Respect your Elders was really quite high on the to-do list. Something I had rather impressively ignored.
“Right…” the woman exhaled.
“I’m also nervous, and I get rude when I’m nervous.”
“It takes courage to admit that,” said the woman. Her tone warmed slightly.
“I apologise, Elder. May I start from the beginning?”
“Unfortunately not, although I bet you wish you could.”
“Far too often,” I agreed easily.
“As it should be. It means you have learned,” she said sagely. “So, now that you have learned. What is it that you will say?”
“This is all quite overwhelming, Elder. I just…” I couldn’t stop the hitch of my voice which I knew had betrayed the fact that I was starting to cry. “I just need some help.”
“Darling, we all need help sometimes.” I felt a hand wrap around my shoulder, then a soft embrace as the woman hugged me. She was slightly shorter. I hugged her back immediately.
I cried into her nape for a while.
“This is an atypical way of requesting tutelage,” she remarked softly. I could not help but laugh a little.
“Is it working?” I managed to ask between sobs.
“Certainly, what is your soul root?”
“Nervous Tamer.”
“Ah, what a lovely one. You are in your 20s?”
“24,” I replied. These cultivators really cared about age. Curiously so, considering the whole point was to become immortal.
“I feel you tensing up darling, don’t worry. I do not care about your progress before meeting me, only after. It is simply to get a good idea of what I can trust you with.”
I nodded into her neck. I could feel it was very wet now. Feeling bad, I dislodged myself. I was thankful now that it was dark.
“I need you to be able to see in this darkness by the end of the week. I will recommend a technique based on creatures like the owl or cat. It will fit best with your soul root.”
“Okay,” I muttered feebly.
“With the Nervous Tamer soul root, your choice for a weapon should be simple.”
“Oh?” I asked, genuinely curious as to what killing tool I was to be burdened with. Then I felt a tap on my head.
“Your mind, sweetie. Get yourself a couple of combative carnivorous creatures to do the dirty work for you,” she giggled. It turned out I would be the killing tool. “Actually, I’m sure you can tame yourself a creature right here in the sect.”
“Really?” I asked excitedly.
“He’s called Sen’o, and he’s your new brother.”
“Actually, he’s the one that brought me here. I already know him.”
“I had a feeling,” she chuckled. “Take these, you’ll need them to identify yourself. Have fun, sweetie. I’ll be here if you need me.”
I felt her hand on mine, then she left. I walked back the way I came finding Sen’o at the end of the tunnel, waiting patiently on the stairs.
“How did it go?” he asked nervously after seeing my puffy, freshly cried face.
“Swimmingly,” I laughed. “You’re looking at your new sister.”
“Fantastic,” he exclaimed with genuine joy.
“Let me go and wash my face, then we can find ourselves some fancy techniques.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he agreed quickly.
