Chapter 102: Keep It Interesting

The elder and Paike talked for a bit more. The familiarity they had built during their last conversation returned quickly. Paike always made sure not to push it too far and kept it respectful, but he never thought he was particularly boring.

He was learning far too much to risk losing this wellspring of information. Also, she was pretty good company. As much as he liked Guan Li, Liming, and the others, they were still children in his eyes. Li Feng was more mature than most, but it wasn't the same.

It wasn't to say that Elder Song was a peer; she was a ridiculous age difference older, but she was less childlike, which was refreshing.

After they had exhausted their immediate ideas on the nature of qi, Elder Song got them back on her flying cloud.

"I will see who else can get data about the viscosity. It would be good to build out our sample size," she said. "I will also start thinking about your qi particle theory and see if I can find a way to test it and maybe a way for you to demonstrate it next time we talk."

Paike was encouraged by her wanting more of his time. "Can you also handle the ancient spirit?"

"Oh yes, I can get one of my disciples to take care of that." Elder Song waved him off.

"Thank you," Paike said with a small bow. It would take a bit off his mind if she could make sure that it wasn't a threat to other disciples. Who knew if his sister decided to look into it more? She had wanted something from that cave in the first place.

"Is there anything that you want me to focus on?" He asked.

Elder Song thought. "Well, if you have any more ideas about the qi particles and how you can demonstrate so I can see what is going on better, that would be great. Other than that, you are young; live your life. Can't turn you into a scholar yet. But if you do have any more revolutionary ideas or anything, make sure you write them down."

"Write them down?" Paike asked. It wasn't like he was going to forget any revolutionary ideas.

"Yes, in case anything happens to you while you are adventuring, I would hate for any of your ideas to get lost if you die early." Elder Song said.

Paike wasn't sure if she was joking. He pictured her shifting through all his belongings if he died and didn't like that image. "I'll keep that in mind."

"See that you do."

They reached the sect compound, and the cloud set down. They made their goodbyes, and Paike descended to the ground, and the Elders' vehicle flew off.

Paike didn't make it a handful of steps before a young girl approached him.

"Kong Paike," she addressed him with a bow. "Your sister asks for your presence."

Apparently, she was already waiting as the girl turned and led the way to a small restaurant.

Paike could feel the difference right as he stepped into the private room. A smile stretched over his face. "Congratulations!"

She gave him a huge smile. "Thank you, brother. I finally managed it. My apologies for taking so long. And I'm still not caught up with you."

"Nonsense. Cultivation is a path you walk alone. There is no point in comparing. Besides, it seems like you have had your attention split elsewhere, building up a power base in our year."

"That hasn't taken much work." She waved off his excuses for her. "But come sit. Guan Li and Li Feng should also be on the way. It is time to talk strategy."

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Paike joined her, and they sipped tea and talked about small things. Li Feng and Guan Li arrived together. They each realized her advancement at the same time. Congratulations were given, and Guan Li reflected that he would need to start moving faster.

The four of them sat around the table, and then the real planning started.

"I think we need to start by showing them that they don't have power over us. Li Feng, brother, this is where the two of you will come in." Liming started laying things out. "They have avoided a direct confrontation with you so far. We will have to force the matter."

"Do you have a particular plan, or do you want us to walk up and knock down their houses?" Li Feng asked.

"I was thinking something a bit more subtle, but if you want to make changes to the plan, I'm willing to work with you," Liming said. "What I was thinking was that Guan Li could..."

She laid out a complicated plan while Guan Li nodded along. He would be doing some infiltration while Paike and Li Feng lured out the leaders with challenges. Defeating their officers when needed.

Paike didn't have any problems with it. If anything, he looked forward to the coming conflict. It would be a great excuse for him to test himself against his supposed peers. The leaders were all at the same stage as him, but he didn't think that would really help them. Sure, they had a year longer than he did to learn the cultivation arts, but did they have more combat training? He doubted it.

That ignored all his other overwhelming advantages. His advanced physical cultivation and how it synergizes with his qi channels. Or all the tricks he had developed with Guan Li. The qi factor and how much harder he could hit because of it. Elder Song said it was nearing Emerald cultivators, and that was before he had even advanced.

Of course, if that all wasn't enough, he had his battle trance to fall back on. So far, none of the leaders had impressed him. They hadn't come out to defend their people, and the one he had met, Peng Yu, was humiliated by Li Feng. Really, if the others were in the same league...

He turned to look at Li Feng. "I'll wager that I will finish any two of them before you do."

Li Feng arched an eyebrow at him. "Confident. I will take that bet."

"Good, we have to keep it interesting after all."

"True, it was looking to be rather dull. What are the stakes?" Li Feng asked.

Paike paused to think. He had only offered the wager as half a joke and hadn't expected Li Feng to be the type to gamble. However, it looked like he had underestimated how little this whole ordeal interested him. Honestly, without Liming's involvement, Paike figured the odds of him getting involved were extremely low.

As he cultivated, he found that politics just wasn't very interesting to him. Li Feng was clearly a kindred spirit.

"Can you two take this seriously?" Liming asked. Paike thought he saw some amusement mixed in with her exasperation, but he made his face return to a serious mask as he turned his attention back to her plan. She started getting into some of the more minute details.

"Do you really need both of us?" Li Feng asked. "Not that I wouldn't be willing to show these rats their place, but I think either Paike or I could do it. Heavens, I think you might be able to now that you broke through. They are not that impressive. How do you even fit into this? I get that you will take control of the day-to-day, which I appreciate not having to bother with, but what are you doing during this?"

Paike had noticed that Liming was missing from the plan, so let her explain.

"My role will be minimal. I'm leaving it as a backup. I can intercede where needed and tip the scales if necessary." Liming said. "You are correct that they are not very impressive by our standards, so my involvement is not necessary."

Li Feng didn't actually seem to care, and the conversation continued. It took a bit longer for Liming to lay out the rest of her plans, but they were all satisfied in the end. Paike could have done without knowing half of it, let alone all the background information she needed to add to make her moves comprehensible.

Really, she had gone in a completely different direction than he had. It seemed that when they were real people in front of her that she cared about, she had no problems remembering their names and so much more. Liming was unrecognizable from the girl who struggled to care about politics at all despite what their family tried to teach her. Just as much as Paike had stopped caring about it, she had gone the other way.

They left the tea house and started walking down the street together. Liming's plan called for them to start right away, but as they turned, Paike and Liming stopped.

At the end of the street there was a tall man standing in plain robes. They weren't sect robes, but the plain black of their family's color. He was easily recognizable, but had no business being there. He was looking at something in his hands, fiddling as always. Still, there was no way he didn't know exactly where they were and that they had seen him.

There was no getting away. Not that they really had any reason to hide from him. This time.

Guan Li and Li Feng noticed they had stopped and quickly honed in on why.

The siblings started walking again. When they got close, the man looked up and gave them a warm smile. "What's up, kiddos?"

The siblings bowed deeply in greeting. "Father."