Chapter 165 - Invitations, a fish dragged to an eagle’s nest.

  Hao found both women engaged in quiet hobbies when he entered the house. Meiqi had a bucket of dirty, multicolored salt. That didn’t stop the elegant woman from taking a pinch and tasting it to a pucker, which made her cheekbones even more pronounced.

  As for Zhengqi, he could have clapped his hands, and she wouldn’t have lifted her head. Her nose was in a paper book. The scroll he gave her days ago sprawled out on the ground in front of her. She took a quill and dipped it into the inkwell near her bed’s baseboard and wrote, read, and looked at the scroll. Her eyes happened to pass over him.

  That’s when the door clicked shut. The younger Lady Wu rose to a bow, while Meiqi took her time to lift her head, trying to pass the pucker on her face off as a mysterious glare.

  “I didn’t think you had friends in such high places,” Meiqi muttered as she rose, almost pulling off the act if not for the cough she hid behind her sleeve.

  Hao waved a hand to Zhengqi, which she instantly understood. She crossed her legs and fell on her bed again, lost in her book and scroll in the blink of an eye.

  He turned to Meiqi, removing the outer layer of his robe, “Neither did I. Senior Guan has shown me kindness, but I wouldn’t dare claim a place of friendship in his heart.” His slightly formal tone told Meiqi how much trust he had in the passion-filled man outside the door.

  Hao didn’t fully distrust the man, nor did he disdain him, but Senior Brother Guan’s level of cultivation meant he could hear the shape of the characters and letters Zhengqi made with her quill.

  “He must hold the Young Master in some regard.” Meiqi hurried over. She smacked her hands on her hips to wipe off salt dust before she gripped and untied Hao’s girdle and tore his sleeves down from his shoulders.

  “He has been here for two days.” Meiqi continued, “Didn’t show any impatience while waiting, and he even helped with some preparations. Not to mention, he is a looker. Young Master, I hope you show him a similar favor.”

  She walked around in front of him. Her hands grabbed whatever he tried to remove himself and did it twice as fast as him while throwing him a mocking eye.

  Hao wanted to shiver. Meiqi showing someone, anyone, favor was as likely as a starving fox sparing a clutch of chicken eggs. He looked back to make sure the door was closed.

  There was no wind, but there were more eyes than Meiqi’s lingering on him.

  The old maid walked away with his outer robes. She shook them, conjuring a small dust cloud, and grabbed a wet cloth.

  Hao meandered around the room. He looked at the piles of smoked meat, covered and protected in a half-closed box. Once he felt that wandering eye disappear, he leaned forward towards the fire. He avoided the smoke tent and reached for the bucket of salt.

  Is this some salt for brine? Hao asked himself, wondering how much food Meiqi planned to preserve.

  A small hand smacked Hao’s palm away from the salt bucket. “How long has it been since you washed?” Meiqi whispered into his ear.

  “I won’t touch it directly,” Hao demanded back through closed teeth.

  His hand hovered close. The bucket vanished then reappeared. The gray and brown speckles in the salt were now gone, leaving a fine white glassy bucket of crystals.

  As soon as the bucket hit the floor with a thud, Hao froze; the feeling of being watched returned.

  He couldn’t be sure it was Guan, but the itch under a bandage was worse than a wound. “I’ll go speak with him.” Hao rose. Ominous words slipped from his mouth, “You’ll hear if things go badly. If not—if it’s quiet, I returned to seclusion.”

  Meiqi jumped in front of him, her fingers coiling his arm, “Wait, let me wash you up a bit,” she demanded, her nails digging into his wrist. She nodded to Zhengqi. The two spun around him in a flurry, as they had many times before. They washed him with a wet towel, wiped down his shirt, put his outer blue robe back on him, tied it, and poked at his hair. Finally, they booted him toward the door.

  The two bowed as the door creaked open before he touched it. He went out and closed it behind him, knowing they would go straight back to their business.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  *

  Guan turned at the click of the door. His face was tired with an awkward expression. “Junior Brother is lucky to have such close relationships.” His tight brow made his words seem sour.

  Hao started, “Senior Brother. Please don’t misunderstand, they were entrusted to me, and we happen to come to trust each other—”

  “—Don’t worry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s hard to find good people on the mountain, and you managed to find two of the dozen. I’m just a little envious,” he chuckled.

  Hao leapt forward off the veranda. Icicles hit each other and the ground like a series of wind chimes.

  “Senior Brother. I’m sure you noticed my surprise already. It’s good to see you, but you must have something important if you came all the way here,” he said, hoping to move on to another topic. He was expecting quality time before he returned to his seclusion, until at the very least the snow melted, and spring arrived.

  Guan laughed. “You’re right, I was looking for you, but it was a coincidence that brought me to this place. I went to the residence that you picked out, Junior Brother, only to find three half-fallen buildings, a muddy well, and a makeshift brick forge. I looked throughout the sect during the snow and rain. Until two days and a night ago,” he paused for a long laugh. His toothy smile faced the sky.

  He walked to the well at the center of the courtyard and continued. “An interesting tale of a disciple with gold strands of hair poisoning people in the old Servants' quarter reached me.” The mountain-like Senior Brother turned his back. When he looked back, righteousness sat on his face as if he were the statue of some great military general. “If I arrived any later, some of the Eighth Elder’s Disciplinary Hall wouldn’t have busted down the door. I wasn’t going to interfere until I heard that older Servant yell ‘Young Master Hao’ a dozen times.”

  Hao was quick to cup his hands. He could have said a dozen things, but Guan moved the conversation along himself. The young disciple only got in a few thanks against the tidal wave of words that was Senior Brother Guan, direct disciple of the Fifth Elder.

  “Enough of that,” he demanded. Pride, righteousness, momentary humor, all of it faded as Guan put his hands behind his back. “The reason I came. I already confirmed my suspicion with your servants that you plan to join the Peak Ascension Ceremony. So it comes to me to deliver an offer.”

  “Senior,” Hao said, his foot sliding until his leg hit the veranda, “I imagine most disciples that wander the Lower Peak will join.”

  “You’re cautious, smart. Because the offer I have is too good to be true. And for a reason, rarely do benefits not come with risk—yet this—I feel like I’m about to hold a shining carp up to the eagle-infested cliff…” Guan shook his head.

  Hao lifted his foot to step back, but what was behind him were those he promised to protect. Guan didn’t seem the type to attack him. But ominous words were ominous words no matter the mouth that utters them. He put his foot back down, sliding himself between the Senior Cultivator and the door to his home. In his heart, he failed them once already.

  “What does Senior Brother mean?”

  Guan looked around, his head snapped to the sky, “We went back and forth for days. Starting six days ago, Aunt agreed, so did I. Junior Brother Que, and Master didn’t seem to care much either way, at least they didn’t object.” His words sounded like they were meant for himself.

  He continued with a sigh, “I wanted to take you up the mountain to teach you Physical Cultivation. Some of the resources I have are too old to sell, and too valuable to let go to waste. I can consider it a practice run for if I ever get a disciple.”

  Guan rubbed the back of his arm as he walked over to Hao, “I assumed you read the book I gave you. You were in seclusion, the two inside said so. You read the book, of course?” His demeanor and face changed as soon as Physical Cultivation was the topic.

  Hao nodded, “I read a little.”

  It was hard to make it a focus. From the first page, it felt like he was back at the beginning of his cultivation journey. A new path, he had to start from scratch. Different practice with different routes. Right now, he wanted to focus on reaching the Spirit Sea realm. Everything else was a distraction, but if he got instruction…

  Trying not to sound disappointed, Hao muttered, “You wanted?”

  Guan nodded, “Still do, but the Second Elder wishes to speak with you on her peak, but…” His voice leaked with uncertainty. “If you’re willing, I will keep you for a day, and beg the Second Elder myself for her forgiveness on both our behalf.”

  The mountain-like Senior Brother turned into a volcano that couldn’t control himself now that his passion was involved.

  Hao knew why the Senior was checking the sky now. In truth, he had no reason to turn down Guan. This could be his only opportunity to get instruction on the lesser-practiced route.

  “What would the Second Elder want with me?” Hao asked to be certain.

  “That is her business,” Guan crossed his arms, “The most we can do is speculate. The same reason I came is the most likely answer.”

  Silence held the two of them, then there was a squeak and crack of ice from behind, Meiqi’s seafoam green eye peeking from a foggy window. When they looked, it quickly disappeared.

  “Senior Brother, if you are willing,” Hao started, “Then I would be a rude fool to turn down the chance to learn.”

  Guan smiled and nodded, “Good!” he stomped a foot, “If Junior Brother doesn’t need to say his farewells, we can leave now.” His giant hand floated towards Hao’s shoulder, the snow around him turning to water and vapor.

  Hao nodded back. Before he could utter any words, his shoulder was tugged into the air, and he was effortlessly launched through the sky.

  In a blink, the clouds were below him, and blue flowers glimmered.

  “Welcome back to the Fifth Peak. We can start right away. Now… What can I explain in a single day?”

  They started before their shoes touched the mountain.