The lingering scent of burnt offerings and stale steam still clung to Kai's robes as he navigated the winding paths from the dining hall toward the eastern sector of the Verdant Peak Sect. The sun was beginning its slow descent, casting long, dramatic shadows across the meticulously tended courtyards. Most inner disciples were already retreating to their cultivation rooms for evening meditation or settling into the library, but Kai was following a different path—the one laid out by Yun Xiu.
He arrived at the Eastern Training Field exactly one hour after their brief exchange in the dining hall. This particular field was less grand than the main courtyard, nestled against a small bamboo grove that whispered softly in the evening breeze. It was quiet here, offering both privacy and a serene backdrop—perfect for a private lesson intended to look like simple mentorship but which Kai already knew was veiled reconnaissance.
Yun Xiu was waiting in the center of the packed earth arena. She wore simple, unadorned white training robes, her bearing elegant yet deceptively relaxed. Unlike the intimidating authority of the Elders, Yun Xiu presented an image of approachable brilliance, which Kai recognized instantly as a highly effective tool of control.
"You're punctual, Disciple Kai," she greeted him, her voice light, carrying the gentle tone of a seasoned instructor. "That is the first essential trait of a good cultivator: discipline."
Kai bowed deeply, keeping his head low enough to avoid meeting her gaze too intensely. He was playing the role of the overwhelmed, grateful novice perfectly. "Thank you, Senior Sister. I am honored you agreed to teach me personally."
"Ugh. Did you practice that bow? It reeks of subservience," Azrakoth grated in the back of his mind.
"Silence, demon. Subservience is a tool. She thinks she owns me now," Kai internally countered, maintaining the perfect expression of awed humility.
Yun Xiu smiled, a subtle tightening around her eyes that suggested she was calculating the exact balance between encouragement and intimidation. "We don't have much time before sunset, so let's begin. I noticed your combat style in the hall, while effective, relies heavily on meeting force with equal force. At the lower realms, this is exhausting and inefficient. We will start with defense."
She moved fluidly, adopting a pose that seemed almost casual. "I want to teach you the Flowing Water Defense. Its philosophy is simple: never resist the river. You don't meet the charging ox with your chest; you step aside and guide its momentum."
For the next hour, Yun Xiu demonstrated the technique. It was less about physical strength and more about precise footwork, shifting weight, and redirecting incoming kinetic energy. She would strike with focused, rapid attacks—not to hurt him, but to push him off balance—and he was supposed to use minimal effort to turn her force back onto itself, causing her strikes to dissipate harmlessly or carry her past him.
Kai, thanks to his opened meridians and the rapid processing power granted by Azrakoth, absorbed the physical principles almost instantly. His mind cataloged the foot placements, the exact degree of wrist rotation needed to turn a punch, and the subtle shift in breathing that accompanied the change in stance.
"A surprisingly elegant technique. Highly effective at minimizing Qi expenditure," Azrakoth observed grudgingly. "In your hands, you could turn this into a weapon by redirecting their force directly into their own weak points."
Kai filed this observation away for later, making sure to show only gradual, frustrating progress. He stumbled frequently, overcorrected his weight shifts, and gasped dramatically after particularly forceful, yet still controlled, strikes from Yun Xiu.
"Ah, Senior Sister, I apologize! I am too slow. My legs are heavy," he panted, wiping a non-existent bead of sweat from his brow.
Yun Xiu stopped, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder—a gesture that immediately registered to Kai as the "territorial marking" he expected. This act, small and seemingly benign, signaled to any passing disciples that Kai was hers. It was a claim of ownership, a subtle warning: This one is under my protection, and therefore, under my control.
"Nonsense, Kai. You are a beginner. It takes years to master this fluidity," she said kindly. "But you have the raw potential. Your Qi foundation is surprisingly stable for someone who awakened so recently."
This was the opening. The moment for the reconnaissance to begin.
"Tell me, Kai," she continued, guiding him toward a stone bench near the bamboo grove. "You've kept much of your past to yourself. The sect respects privacy, of course, but if I am to mentor you effectively, I need to understand your foundation."
Kai braced himself. He knew these questions were calculated, designed to root out any inconsistency or weakness.
"Where did you learn your initial cultivation exercises? Your foundation is sturdy, but your techniques are crude, almost… self-taught."
Kai gave her the prepared, sanitized version of his early life. "I grew up in Willow Creek. We are poor. My father tried to teach me what he knew from his days as a village guard, simple Qi-gathering methods. Nothing refined. After the plague, when my dragon mark awakened, I didn't even know what it meant. I came here out of desperation, seeking help."
The key omission: the sheer, desperate anger that fueled his awakening, and the fact that his father's teachings were mostly based on bitterness and resentment toward the sect.
Yun Xiu nodded slowly, processing the information. "A commoner, then. Awakening a powerful bloodline late. That explains the raw power but the lack of discipline. And your goals, Kai? Why cultivate? Is it for strength, immortality, or to help your village?"
This was the core question: Are you altruistic, or selfish? The sect prized altruism, but tolerated selfish ambition as long as it served the sect. Demonic cultivators sought power for power's sake, often without purpose.
Kai looked down, trying to invoke the memory of his mother's worried face (he could still remember the face, even if the emotional pain was now muted). "I want strength, Senior Sister. To ensure that nothing like the plague ever happens to my home again. And to earn my place here. To be someone useful."
"A masterpiece of performance," Azrakoth sneered. "You sound like every orphaned protagonist in a trashy romance novel."
"It works," Kai thought back, feeling a faint, cold satisfaction as he saw Yun Xiu's expression soften.
"That is a noble goal," she murmured, placing her hand over his again. "Many people here forget the common folk once they gain power. Don't lose that connection to your roots. It's what keeps us human."
Kai recognized the manipulation: she was projecting her own noble ideals onto him, making him her project—the diamond in the rough she would polish and present as proof of her own compassionate nature. He played into it perfectly, expressing gratitude that bordered on hero-worship.
"I won't, Senior Sister. Thank you. Truly."
The lesson resumed, focusing on applying the Flowing Water principles. Yun Xiu demonstrated a swift, complex sequence of movements, striking low and high. Kai, now with a better understanding of the redirection principle, was able to execute the technique with surprising grace, though still not too gracefully.
He consciously throttled his comprehension. When his body wanted to execute the move with perfect economy of motion, Kai would deliberately throw his shoulder too far or step slightly too late, making the block look like a lucky accident rather than skillful mastery.
He had already spent the last two months figuring out how to hide his rapid growth. Showing instantaneous mastery would only invite suspicion and jealousy. Showing modest improvement, while constantly expressing doubt and dependency on his mentor, cemented his perceived vulnerability and kept Yun Xiu invested in her project.
By the time the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the mountains, shrouding the training field in twilight, Kai had mastered the Flowing Water Defense. He could feel the technique etched into his muscle memory, easily convertible into an offensive counterattack. He was already planning how to combine it with his cruder, explosive fighting style.
Yun Xiu seemed satisfied with his performance. She spent the final moments dispensing advice on cultivation purity and the importance of steady progress.
"Remember, Kai. Speed is tempting, but foundation is everything. Never rush," she cautioned, entirely unaware that the entity whispering guidance in his mind was urging him toward reckless speed.
"I understand, Senior Sister. I will proceed with caution," Kai promised, the lie sounding like the purest truth.
She dismissed him with a final, encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Return to your room, rest, and meditate on what you've learned. I expect good progress by our next session."
Kai bowed again and walked away, not looking back. Once he reached the shadows of the path, the grateful, overwhelmed expression vanished, replaced by cold calculation.
"Well done. You have gained a powerful technique, secured a powerful patron, and learned the core of her strategy—manipulation through assumed kindness," Azrakoth praised.
"Indeed. She thinks she's raising a protector. I will ensure I become her greatest threat instead," Kai mused.
He returned to his simple inner disciple room, locking the door securely. He ignored the aching fatigue in his muscles; that was the byproduct of the persona he had adopted. His core Qi was vibrant and stable. He pulled out the worn wooden carving of the dragon his father had given him, placing it on his small meditation mat.
He spent the next hour simply running the Flowing Water Defense in his mind, stripping away the unnecessary gestures and smoothing the movements until it became a pure, silent, deadly form of redirection. He didn't just understand the technique; he owned it now, ready to weaponize it.
Kai settled onto the mat, satisfied. He hadn't just secured a patron and learned techniques; he had gained invaluable insight into the psychology of the sect's powerful elite. They were arrogant, believing their righteousness shielded them from the darker intentions of others. They thought they could use him.
Tomorrow, he had a duel scheduled—the one that had brought him to Yun Xiu's attention in the first place. Han Bao, the bully, was waiting.
Kai closed his eyes. He wouldn't be meeting Han Bao's force with equal force, as he had before. He would be using Han Bao's own power against him, letting the river of the bully's arrogance carry him straight to defeat.
He allowed himself a moment of internal, cold triumph before plunging into his evening cultivation, preparing his body and mind for the clash that would either solidify his position as Yun Xiu's grateful protégé or begin his inevitable path toward becoming the sect's greatest monster.