Chapter 44

It only took a few more days before it came into view. Fu Yilan had to admit that she truly loved the moment when one crested a hill or rounded a final bend to lay eyes on the goal one had been moving towards. Excitement mixed with awe, invigorating the body to unlock energy stores to carry her the rest of the way.

A bright smile on her face, Fu Yilan walked along the path that was well-trodden, quality increasing with each other path that merged into it. One large road that was paved merged into her path, or, more likely, the other way around. Large rocks, ground down by the foot-traffic and the merchants’ wagons, led towards the city. Snaking down the mountain that stood opposite of Ringfort City, it carried thousands of travelers to and from its gates daily.

Ringfort City was a collective of several sheared-off mountains. One huge, central mountain with a perfectly flat top spanning countless square kilometers, a plateau. Three mountains stood close to it, all perfectly flat on top as well, with rock connections acting as bridges that Fu Yilan had never seen connecting other mountaintops. Maybe the Golden Fang Sect had demonstrated their power, shaping the surrounding geography to their will.

It was impressive, beautiful, breathtaking. Fu Yilan hoped she wouldn’t arrive before nightfall so that she would be able to see the twinkling lights of a city in the mountains that stretched as far as her eyes could see. Pagodas reached high, some impossibly so. Specks of green spoke of beautiful gardens, more vibrant than any plant Fu Yilan had seen on her travels so far. Clearly, cultivators resided in this city.

The qi density kept rising, telling her that the convenient location of four mountains close together were not the only reason they’d decided to settle here. There was more to this place, a reason that pulled thousands of cultivators here.

She would have to gaze at the city by night another time because it was only early afternoon when she stood before the looming walls of the city. Already, glimpses of activity reached Fu Yilan’s ears. The bustling crowds, haggling merchants, food stalls advertising their wares. She let the stream of flowing people wash her away, no real goal in mind. She would visit Qingzhao soon enough, and she’d show her around. Still, Fu Yilan wanted a taste of the city now.

It was incredibly impressive. The city kept going, every bend holding a new wonder. A statue of some ancient general. A mural depicting an epic battle. It was clear that this city had existed for centuries at least, and that it was proud of its history. Leisurely snacking on some exquisitely seasoned grilled meat on a skewer, she walked through the streets, taking in the bustle of a city larger than any she’d ever seen before. A real cultivator city, and she was part of it. About to meet a friend that was part of the ruling sect, many fun days ahead. Her steps were light as she adventured into the bustling jungle of wood and brick.

…

“A bowl of noodles, please!” Fu Yilan had taken a seat at a small roadside noodle shop, the smell of broth and spices already making her mouth water. The people of the Thousand Sheared-Off Mountains used different spices as compared to the grassland plains where she’d grown up. The plants up here were rougher, used to the harsh environment. Of course, their taste differed as well.

Taking a sip of the broth, hot and steaming, Fu Yilan let out a sigh. The broth was not particularly fatty; space not so readily available as to keep the animals fenced in, which meant they roamed around a lot with the people meant to tend to them. With the herbs, it created a taste that reminded Fu Yilan of resisting the elements and persevering despite harsh conditions. That taste was the star of the dish, chewy noodles merely accompanying the flavor of the broth.

Fu Yilan let out a sound that wouldn’t have been out of place in the bedroom. A look of pure delight was on her face as she enjoyed the meal, not noticing the sideways glances a few middle-aged patrons were giving her, pants straining simply from watching her.

“Glad you enjoyed it, dear.” The elderly woman took Fu Yilan’s empty bowl with a caring smile and started rinsing it.

“My grandson should be about your age. A handsome young man. Would you care to meet him?” There was suddenly a calculative glint in her eye that took Fu Yilan by surprise. She could only politely decline the offers of the old lady who apparently had quite a few grandsons, intent on advertising every single one.

Fu Yilan kept walking through the streets, heading closer and closer towards the increase of qi density that the Golden Fang Sect was based around. It was clearly visible that the price of real estate got higher the closer she got to the sect. More qi in the air, as well as the additional protection all those cultivators provided ensured that wealthier people walked the streets, with shops matching their income. Slowly but surely, cultivator stores were lining the streets, the smell of incredible food cooked with ingredients rich in qi stimulating Fu Yilan in a way she didn’t know food could do.

She would have to explore all of this later with Qingzhao. She would definitely know the best places to visit.

The compound of the Golden Fang Sect towered in the sky like a small mountain, layers upon layers of grey stone dug up from the mountain, with the rooftiles being a creamy white that looked almost like bone. Surely, they didn’t cover the entire–

“How can I help you, miss?”

Fu Yilan had hidden her upper two stages of cultivation again, appearing as the sixth-stage cultivator she’d been when meeting Qingzhao. Advancing by two stages that quickly would have definitely raised a few eyebrows.

The man at the gate who had spoken to her was at the fifth stage, leaning on a bone-tipped trident lazily, bare chest only covered by the brown fur of a beast slung across his shoulder.

“I came to meet Cao Qingzhao. Could you please let her know that a friend has come to see her?”

“Whirlwind Cao? That beast has a– never mind. I will let her know. Please, follow me.”  He nodded to the other guard by the gate and took her inside, under the massive gate and into a sect that eclipsed the branch of the Shifting Grass Sect completely.

Pagodas rose into the air, Cultivators jumping from roof to roof to get to the floor they wanted, apparently not in the mood to use the stairs. Everything felt far more energetic and active, the men and women cultivating here following a different path to enlightenment and understanding. The culture differed greatly as compared to her calmer home sect, that tried to emulate the shifting adaptability of grass, instead of the ferocity of a golden-fanged beast.

She was taken to a small waiting area with a garden. Yet instead of beautiful flowers in bloom, there was lush vegetation, as well as intricately carved wooden sculptures of beasts. They were almost lifelike and hidden slightly between the plants, so that every time one was spotted, it felt like seeing the real animal out in the wild.

Half an hour later Fu Yilan could hear hurried steps. With barely enough time to turn around, she was wrapped in a hug, muscled arms wrapping around her soft, slender body.

“To think I’d get to see you this soon!” Qingzhao’s cute face beamed at her, dark blonde strands framing her face.

“I finished my business in Splitgorge City, so I thought I’d drop by, and experience the wonders a city of this size holds.” Qingzhao nodded vigorously at that, a few strands falling in front of her face that she swiftly tucked behind her ear.

“Oh yes, there is so much to discover here, and so much I have to show you.” She gripped Fu Yilan’s shoulders, a glint in her eye. “But first, we spar. I want to see if you’ve improved!”

Here too, it was mostly men cultivating immortality. They got a few glances when they walked through the sect, which quickly moved away when they noticed it was Qingzhao they were looking at. It seemed like she’d made quite a name for herself.

“Whirlwind Cao, huh?” Fu Yilan asked, smirking.

“You already know of that?” She blushed, walking a bit faster. Fu Yilan kept pace. She wouldn’t let the chance slip by to tease her a bit.

“Someone that dangerous wants to spar with me? How intimidating.”

“No! They were just so weak that I beat them up when they were mean. I don’t know what made them give me a name like that.” She had her face buried in her hands.

Fu Yilan had a wide grin on her face. She hadn’t known that grins could stretch that far. A dark desire bloomed in her chest when she saw her friend stuttering beneath her questions. It was far too much fun teasing her.

“Well, where was your protector?”

Fu Yilan didn’t mean anything by it, but when Qingzhao quietly mumbled “He wasn’t there…” her grin stretched to an almost uncomfortable width, while she licked her lips. She’d smelled blood.

Was she a bad person for pushing her friend like this? She didn’t know. It wasn’t as though she’d had many friends. Still, it was just too enjoyable.

“Oho! You’re keeping something from me, aren’t you?”

Qingzhao shot away, leaving Fu Yilan in the dust who could only bend over laughing. She hurried to follow but was sure that the blazing-red ears of her friend would guide the way.

They entered what looked like a private courtyard, a large tree with many small leaves giving shade to a circular sparring circle.

“Less talking, more fighting,” Qingzhao said, trying to regain some control in their conversation. Fu Yilan let her and only nodded, getting into a defensive stance with her soft blade.

“Aren’t those high heeled shoes impractical when fighting?”

“It’s alright, you get used to it.” Fu Yilan didn’t tell her how a few of her other cultivation arts drew power from the way she looked.

Knees slightly bent, one palm stretched out towards the enemy, Fu Yilan had her sword pointed at Qingzhao and pulled it together in a spiral pattern like a spring, ready to jump at the enemy like a striking snake.

Meanwhile, Qingzhao lightly bounced on the balls of her feet, shaking out her arms. She looked nimbler, quicker. But Fu Yilan felt like her chances were quite good, with her qi now being as dense as an eighth stage cultivator’s.

“You definitely feel like you’ve improved. Show me if I’m right!”

She shot forward, a probing kick falling like an axe towards Fu Yilan, wo simply twisted away, dancing out of the path of the strike before letting the soft sword shoot forward at her attacker. Leaning back and using her extended leg for balance, Qingzhao let the blade slice above her before dropping low and swiping a kick at Fu Yilan’s ankles. She hopped over it, a picture of elegance, landing a half step behind and already transitioning into a counterattack.

Both had an excited gleam in their eyes as they fought, pushing the other further and further, trying to catch each other off guard. They ended up panting on the ground, side by side. Clouds moved across the sky for the minutes they took to just lie there and catch their breath.

It felt good having a friend next to her.