Maddy took Eleb’s hand to start the walk like it was a habit. She seemed far too friendly for a cultivator and far too wholesome for someone such as El. There was stark contrast between the innocent Maddy with a long, white, modest robe and neat hair and the dangerous, swaying hips and roguish short hair of Eleb. It made me smile knowing the little one was in charge.
Walking through the sect was quite eerie, as a cultivator and I’m sure El was experiencing the same level of confusion as I was. There were remarkably few disciples that even contained qi, let alone could be called a cultivator.
What we were walking around felt less like a sect and more like a community garden. A place for relaxation and socialising rather than the pursuit of immortality. “Maddy?” I asked. I realised that I wasn’t exactly paying attention to if she was saying anything and hoped I hadn’t interrupted her.
“Yes,” she smiled. She was too polite to say so even if I had.
“Why does it seem like there are so few cultivators in this sect?”
“Oh,” she put her finger to her mouth in surprise. “You are not familiar with Estressemere?”
“Not intimately,” I admitted.
“The resources for cultivation become available as you become a more influential person in the sect.”
“Influential how?” I asked curiously. Feeling there was something more at play.
“You don’t even know that?” she giggled. I shook my head, oddly I felt no judgement from the girl whatsoever, rather she was just enjoying the conversation.
“Your donations towards the sect determine your influence.” I did not conceal my surprise and abject disgust, Maddy laughed even more as she observed my reaction. “It is certainly not very proper,” she admitted.
“So then what’s the point in being here?” asked El, fabulously forgetting her role as a servant. Maddy looked surprised at her but took it in her stride and answered as normal.
“Most, me included, are here to network. I am not an important or talented member of my family so I’m here to partner someone that will bring my family benefits.” She spoke listlessly. “I’ve come to terms with the hopelessness of my family and am hoping for the very least to meet someone that I actually like.”
I was not overly angry about the fundamental existence of the sect. As long as those that were joining had made their own choice to be there, which it seemed like they hadn’t. Or at least, Maddy hadn’t.
A donation based hierarchy was prevalent in most sects anyway, albeit far more discreetly implemented. “...That’s why we have an annual feast, to celebrate the…”
“Maddy?” I realised that this time I had definitely interrupted her and looking across I could see that a small crumple in her eyebrows had emerged to represent her annoyance. “I apologise, I didn't mean to interrupt.”
“Once is fine, twice is borderline rude. If it were to happen a third time, I believe you could consider your task to befriend your neighbour a failure.”
“I’m thankful you don’t consider me a lost cause already,” I bowed to her apologetically. “Please continue.” She nodded, accepting my apology and finished talking. I did not hear the beginning of what she said but I was definitely not going to share that information.
“Then, Sen’o. What was it you wanted to ask?” she asked after finishing her informative speech about the yearly banquet traditions of the sect.
“I wanted to ask if the sect specialised in illusions?”
“I should say not,” she laughed. “Estressemere values the act of facing an opponent honourably. There is no honour in trickery, according to them.” She ran her free hand through one of her twin tails. “What makes you ask?”
“The cultivation technique I practise is quite compatible with illusion.”
“You had better hope it is compatible with other things as well because illusion will not get you far here.”
“Seems not,” I chuckled. “Do you want to cultivate?”
“It sounds lovely but it is a lot of effort for something so silly as immortality.” So silly as immortality? I had to pause.
“You find immortality to be silly?” asked El.
“It sounds terrifying,” she giggled. “Being unending.”
Ah, if only I was as wise as her in my first lifetime.
“It sounds fun!” argued Eleb. “Doing whatever you want forever.”
“I’m not going to try to change your mind,” laughed Maddy, raising her hand defensively. “I think I would rather begin, and end in a reasonable manner.”
I did what I could to smile and carried on the walk, running qi through my body to try and get my mind off beginnings and, more importantly, ends.
We waved goodbye to the miniature meltdown inducer, Maddy, and El poked me on the shoulder. “See anything?”
“I did, after the banquet hall when I asked about the illusions.”
“I thought that might be the case.”
“For a sect that does not care for illusions, they sure enjoy using them around their sect.”
“How many did you spot?”
“A few, but the one by the banquet hall was the only one that mattered…”
“The array?”
“That’s right, another link.”
“But I didn’t see one.”
“A qi-concealed array. I suppose they found no need for one at the bottom of a lake but right in the middle of a sect necessitates subtlety.”
“Which means all that’s left is to see what’s behind it,” said El with a gleeful smile.
Casualperv Short one today, hope you don't mind.
I want to thank my first Patreon, Pedro. Your support means a lot to me. For anyone who has read Mongrel they might remember how I treated my first commenter - Everest. I will naturally provide the same punishme... heartful treatment to Pedro. Obviously this will only happen with my first Patreon so please don't subscribe thinking I'll add your name in the book :D
Thanks for reading, click the
Maddy took Eleb’s hand to start the walk like it was a habit. She seemed far too friendly for a cultivator and far too wholesome for someone such as El. There was stark contrast between the innocent Maddy with a long, white, modest robe and neat hair and the dangerous, swaying hips and roguish short hair of Eleb. It made me smile knowing the little one was in charge.
Walking through the sect was quite eerie, as a cultivator and I’m sure El was experiencing the same level of confusion as I was. There were remarkably few disciples that even contained qi, let alone could be called a cultivator.
What we were walking around felt less like a sect and more like a community garden. A place for relaxation and socialising rather than the pursuit of immortality. “Maddy?” I asked. I realised that I wasn’t exactly paying attention to if she was saying anything and hoped I hadn’t interrupted her.
“Yes,” she smiled. She was too polite to say so even if I had.
“Why does it seem like there are so few cultivators in this sect?”
“Oh,” she put her finger to her mouth in surprise. “You are not familiar with Estressemere?”
“Not intimately,” I admitted.
“The resources for cultivation become available as you become a more influential person in the sect.”
“Influential how?” I asked curiously. Feeling there was something more at play.
“You don’t even know that?” she giggled. I shook my head, oddly I felt no judgement from the girl whatsoever, rather she was just enjoying the conversation.
“Your donations towards the sect determine your influence.” I did not conceal my surprise and abject disgust, Maddy laughed even more as she observed my reaction. “It is certainly not very proper,” she admitted.
“So then what’s the point in being here?” asked El, fabulously forgetting her role as a servant. Maddy looked surprised at her but took it in her stride and answered as normal.
“Most, me included, are here to network. I am not an important or talented member of my family so I’m here to partner someone that will bring my family benefits.” She spoke listlessly. “I’ve come to terms with the hopelessness of my family and am hoping for the very least to meet someone that I actually like.”
I was not overly angry about the fundamental existence of the sect. As long as those that were joining had made their own choice to be there, which it seemed like they hadn’t. Or at least, Maddy hadn’t.
A donation based hierarchy was prevalent in most sects anyway, albeit far more discreetly implemented. “...That’s why we have an annual feast, to celebrate the…”
“Maddy?” I realised that this time I had definitely interrupted her and looking across I could see that a small crumple in her eyebrows had emerged to represent her annoyance. “I apologise, I didn't mean to interrupt.”
“Once is fine, twice is borderline rude. If it were to happen a third time, I believe you could consider your task to befriend your neighbour a failure.”
“I’m thankful you don’t consider me a lost cause already,” I bowed to her apologetically. “Please continue.” She nodded, accepting my apology and finished talking. I did not hear the beginning of what she said but I was definitely not going to share that information.
“Then, Sen’o. What was it you wanted to ask?” she asked after finishing her informative speech about the yearly banquet traditions of the sect.
“I wanted to ask if the sect specialised in illusions?”
“I should say not,” she laughed. “Estressemere values the act of facing an opponent honourably. There is no honour in trickery, according to them.” She ran her free hand through one of her twin tails. “What makes you ask?”
“The cultivation technique I practise is quite compatible with illusion.”
“You had better hope it is compatible with other things as well because illusion will not get you far here.”
“Seems not,” I chuckled. “Do you want to cultivate?”
“It sounds lovely but it is a lot of effort for something so silly as immortality.” So silly as immortality? I had to pause.
“You find immortality to be silly?” asked El.
“It sounds terrifying,” she giggled. “Being unending.”
Ah, if only I was as wise as her in my first lifetime.
“It sounds fun!” argued Eleb. “Doing whatever you want forever.”
“I’m not going to try to change your mind,” laughed Maddy, raising her hand defensively. “I think I would rather begin, and end in a reasonable manner.”
I did what I could to smile and carried on the walk, running qi through my body to try and get my mind off beginnings and, more importantly, ends.
We waved goodbye to the miniature meltdown inducer, Maddy, and El poked me on the shoulder. “See anything?”
“I did, after the banquet hall when I asked about the illusions.”
“I thought that might be the case.”
“For a sect that does not care for illusions, they sure enjoy using them around their sect.”
“How many did you spot?”
“A few, but the one by the banquet hall was the only one that mattered…”
“The array?”
“That’s right, another link.”
“But I didn’t see one.”
“A qi-concealed array. I suppose they found no need for one at the bottom of a lake but right in the middle of a sect necessitates subtlety.”
“Which means all that’s left is to see what’s behind it,” said El with a gleeful smile.
Casualperv Short one today, hope you don't mind.
I want to thank my first Patreon, Pedro. Your support means a lot to me. For anyone who has read Mongrel they might remember how I treated my first commenter - Everest. I will naturally provide the same punishme... heartful treatment to Pedro. Obviously this will only happen with my first Patreon so please don't subscribe thinking I'll add your name in the book :D
Thanks for reading, click the
