"Wait, where are we going?" Jin Huang asked as he chewed on a skewer.
The meat was gone, and now he was just picking at the residue.
Some time had passed; he had not left Xiao Chen's abode and, consequently, had not stopped eating.
The slightly older man seemed to never run out of energy, consistently serving up delicious dishes one after the other.
He sat at the singular table and sipped steaming tea from a bamboo cup.
"We occupy the Easternmost region of the Continent, part of the Scarlet Dominion. We're going beyond the Xiao Clan's territory, to visit Spearhead City which is at the far west edge of the Province." Xiao Chen explained slowly.
"What are we gonna do there?" Jin Huang broke the skewer between his teeth.
"I have some matters to assist with. I also want to get you acquainted with some of the staff." Xiao Chen threw a jacket over his clothes and adjusted it to suit.
"The journey shouldn't take more than two months, provided we take my flying carriage."
Jin Huang spat out splinters, "Two months? I've got to tell Jianyu!"
"Who?" Xiao Chen asked as he took his final sip of tea.
Jin Huang gathered the splinters frantically. "He's my buddy. I gotta let him know. Where should I meet you?"
Xiao Chen stood, cup in hand, "I'll be at the main gates. Don't keep me waiting long."
Tossing the splinters out the window, Jin Huang gave a signal with his hand and said, "I won't!"
Then, he ran off.
_________
Han Jianyu sat amidst the bamboo, listening to the water.
With every twitch of his ears, a bamboo leaf would come falling from above, elegant in its descent before coming to a stop on soft grass.
He inhaled.
The atmosphere was robbed of something both vital and minuscule. There was far too much of it to be taken away all at once, but it was still something fundamental to the very world.
Han Jianyu exhaled.
Stillness settled over the landscape, a kind of restorative process that robbed it of whatever energy it needed for anything else.
Eyes closed, Han Jianyu continued breathing.
He did, until a bamboo leaf came a bit too close to him.
His left hand held the sword seal, and he moved his right, index and middle finger acting as one.
A flashy line was drawn in the air that ceased existing almost as soon as it started to.
The leaf seemed to split itself down the middle all of a sudden, both halves parting ways and landing separately.
Han Jianyu's eyes were still closed. He exhaled, and the world was still again.
"I'm so close to achieving the state of being 'One With the World.' It's so easy here. It's like this Realm is..."
Suddenly, he thought back to the chamber. To the paintings.
To the 'Destined One.'
He shuddered and pushed the thoughts away.
"That's not going to do anything but muddle my path. I have to focus on this. On me. On my sword."
He looked down at his right hand and sighed deeply. "My sword..."
His right hand closed into a fist and he returned to his earlier state, forcing himself back into that emptiness. The only thing that existed here was his will and intent.
Just the intangible components of his sword. The sword that could never be broken
His very soul.
As he embraced that feeling, something new was introduced to the world around him. A new object occupying a new space, with a new kind of force acting upon it.
He felt it. Became intimately familiar with it.
His right hand moved, the same two fingers meeting the object.
A knife.
When it hit the ground, the blade was shattered and the handle practically decimated.
Opening his eyes, Han Jianyu turned and found the knife's origin point without any effort.
He saw nothing, and frowned. "It was a blunt knife. So, whoever you are... whoever sent you... I know you're not after my life."
"Why are you interested in me?"
Han Jianyu said the words to nothing and no one, but he knew they were being heard.
Listening, hearing no answer, he sighed.
"Fine then."
His right hand moved again as the sword seal tightened. He stabbed forward, the movement simple.
As soon as his arm was fully outstretched, as he was beginning to withdraw it, someone cried out from above.
In the next instant, someone came crashing down from the bamboo above, a shallow stab wound to their back.
"Surprised?" Han Jianyu smirked.
"How the hell did you-" The person writhed as they tried to reach for the spot on their back that had been stabbed.
They were dressed in black servants' clothes, and appeared to be an older male.
"Are you going to talk?"
The man groaned as he set himself upright, "I was told to keep an eye on you. The First Elder is interested in your talent."
Han Jianyu used his head to motion to where the knife had fallen. "And that?"
"A harmless test. I thought I'd be looked upon more favorably if I could give her more information regarding your skill." The man admitted.
"The first elder, was it? The old woman?"
Nodding, the man tried to stand and found that he was just barely able to, what with all the shaking his body was suddenly doing.
"Her name is Xiao Lingxi. She's one of the most important people in the Xiao Clan. She handles all relations with the Sects and Academies in Greenwind Province."
"She probably knows a bit more about how... whatever kind of magic you use... works. She may think that one of those establishments would be interested in you."
Han Jianyu nodded. "I appreciate the honesty."
"Well," the man started, taking a few steps. "I haven't been injured in so long, perhaps I forgot how pain felt? It's not pleasant."
As he slowly walked away, gingerly straightening as he ascertained the damage to his back, he continued speaking to either Han Jianyu or himself.
"I'm not keen on that feeling pain ever again. No, sir. Anything to avoid that. Forgive me, First Elder."
Han Jianyu took an amused breath, a plan taking shape in his mind.
Soon, he continued his meditation.
As he finally settled into a tranquil state, he heard a sound that shattered the calm in his mind.
"Jianyu! Hey! Hey, Jianyu! Jianyu, hey! Look! Listen to me, dammit!"
Jin Huang ran over to him and started shouting in his ears before he was even close by.
Now, he was standing just a few paces away from Jianyu and making as many noises and movements as he could.
Han Jianyu sighed and opened his eyes, gasping. Fir a split second, his vision was awash with gold and he was certain he saw Jin Huang doing jumping jacks on a field of corpses, his body awash with blood and gold.
What truly was happening was what he saw in the very next instant, and he ended up blinking in confusion.
"Jianyu! Were you asleep?" Jin Huang laughed. "Classic you, sleeping like that. Dreaming of swords and stuff, I bet."
Han Jianyu took a breath, "What's up?"
Jin Huang sat beneath the bamboo and sighed, "I'm gonna be gone for a while. Two months, at least."
The sword cultivator frowned mildly. "Going where? And with who? The Fatso?"
"Hey!" Jin Huang put on a offended expression before snickering, "Fatty Bao is a scoundrel, but he's good people."
"But no, I've struck a deal with a decent chef, and I have to deliver on my end of it." Jin Huang solemnly stated.
"I think that's just about all I need to know. How's your cultivation coming along?" Han Jianyu shifted gear.
Jin Huang waved his arm around, a serious expression on his face. The movements caused strange sounds; his arms were moving through space in an odd way.
"I honestly don't feel like I've cultivated at all. Maybe there's something I'm not doing right."
Han Jianyu nodded, "Well, I've restored my sword intent and stabilized my scattered sword will. I've made it even further in the Sword Path, almost fully attaining the 'One With the World' state."
Jin Huang nodded absently, "Wow. I'm so happy for you."
"Also, that elder we stole from has set eyes on me. I'm thinking I might go visit her and see why." Han Jianyu smirked.
"Sounds like fun," Jin Huang chuckled, slapping his knees as he stood. "Shame I'll have to miss it. Xiao Chen needs to leave today."
Han Jianyu stood as well, extending a fist to meet Jin Huang's. "It seems our paths diverge here. We shall meet again soon."
Jin Huang nodded, "We shall."
Han Jianyu turned, beginning to walk away. Jin Huang did the same, but something came to mind and he stopped, gazing back.
"Hey, sword cultivator!"
Han Jianyu turned, brows slightly raised.
"You better have a sword in hand the next time I see you. Gotta look the part, after all."
Both laughing, they shared a final look before departing.
Han Jianyu, heading in the direction of Xiao Lingxi's abode. Jin Huang, on his way to meet Xiao Chen at the gates.
Both were walking forward on the same path, despite heading in opposite directions.
Surely, they would meet again.