A Thousand Li: the First Stop: A Xanxia Cultivation Series Read online

  A Thousand Li:

  The First Stop

  A Cultivation Novel

  Book 2 of A Thousand Li Series

  By

  Tao Wong

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  A Thousand Li: The First Stop

  Copyright © 2019 Tao Wong. All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 2019 Sarah Anderson Cover Designer

  Copyright © 2019 Felipe deBarros Cover Artist

  ISBN: 9781989458105

  Contents

  Copyright

  What Happened Before

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  THE END

  Glossary

  Author’s Note

  What Happened Before

  Long Wu Ying, a former rice farmer in the state of Shen, found himself conscripted into the army at the age of sixteen. Through a series of unfortunate encounters, Wu Ying gained the attention of an Elder of the Verdant Green Waters Sect and was admitted as an outer sect member.

  Naïve and new to the world of cultivators, the ex-commoner made mistakes in protocol and angered the Elders and nobles of the sect. Forced to run an assignment for the Elder as recompense, Wu Ying encountered demon beasts, bandits, and recalcitrant guards, making friends along the way before he finally returned to the sect.

  Assignment completed; Wu Ying returned to train for the annual outer sect competition. Forced to fight to keep his place as an outer sect member, Wu Ying angered Yin Xue, the noble son of the lord who holds dominion over Wu Ying’s village. In the final rounds of the competition, Wu Ying faced Yin Xue in single combat to win one of eight spots available in the inner sect that year. Wu Ying was joined by Tou He, his ex-monk friend.

  As one of the weakest inner sect members, Wu Ying’s journey as a cultivator has just begun.

  Chapter 1

  The peace of the lush, green slopes was broken by the chorus of bells, rousing Wu Ying from his cultivation. The bells were a reminder for the cultivators of the Verdant Green Waters Sect of the time of day. Each bell was beautiful, harmoniously tinkling along to the sounds of the never-ending rush of water from the glacier-fed waterfalls.

  Wu Ying stood, dusting off his robes as he walked out of the courtyard of his building. While there was a quarter hour left before the start of classes, Wu Ying resided in the smallest, meanest, and most remote house for inner sect members. It would take him the quarter hour to arrive at the classroom—if he did not wish to arrive looking as though he had been run over.

  “Breakfast, lord?” Ah Yee said, holding up a tray.

  “No, thank you. Not today. And please, stop calling me lord,” Wu Ying said, his stomach a little knot of tension. Even if he was an inner sect member now, he was still a peasant and being called a lord did not feel right to him.

  “Of course, Lord Long.” Ah Yee bowed again before moving out of Wu Ying’s way.

  The cultivator sighed and left his house, striding off up the mountain. As much as he tried to correct his servant, the woman was as stubborn as he was. Even outlining the ways he was not a lord—Wu Ying was no nobleman, no Core Cultivator, no magistrate—had done nothing. But if Ah Yee thought he would give up, she would be surprised. Wu Ying was a farmer, and the one thing all farmers had was stubbornness. You had to be if you did not want to starve.

  Wu Ying looked around the quiet, dusty trail that led to his house and smiled. The building which housed him was more luxury than Wu Ying had ever experienced in his life. How quickly he was adapting to the new level of luxury did surprise him, and Wu Ying felt somewhat guilty as he reflected upon his dingy, three-bay family home. Still, the money he was now sending back would improve the lives of his parents. If he could, Wu Ying hoped to find some medicine to aid in the healing of his father’s leg, giving him back full mobility. But it was a faint hope for now. Any medicine that could fix decades-old injuries on a Body Cleanser would be ruinously expensive, even for an inner sect member like him.

  As Wu Ying hurried along the pathway, the cultivator turned his thoughts away from his family to more immediate concerns. Among them, the most pressing—arriving on time. The Verdant Green Waters Sect covered the full expanse of an enmormous mountain, and the numerous buildings, including the lecture halls, spread across a wide area. The outer sect members lived on the lower levels of the mountain with their lodging, dining halls, and services located below. But for inner sect members, their requirements lay higher on the mountain where the important buildings were located.

  Each building Wu Ying passed was constructed of expensive hardwood and adorned with detailed carvings along their multi-inclined, partitioned roofs. This gave the buildings a graceful, sweeping stature and ensured that the buildings stayed cool during the humid summer months. Everywhere Wu Ying looked, he spotted members of the outer sect toiling, caring for the beautiful architecture and grounds. The outer sect members undertook the menial jobs, from sweeping the roads to patching worn paintjobs to carrying supplies, that kept the sect functioning and beautiful.

  Soon enough, the cultivator came to a fork in the road and took the right fork. The left led farther up, but for today, the mid-levels of the inner sect portion were where he needed to be. At the turn-off, Wu Ying met a familiar face.

  “Tou He!” Wu Ying greeted his bald, ex-monk friend.

  The smiling man, clad in his orange monk robes, bowed to Wu Ying. That the youngster still managed to wear his old affiliate robes in the middle of the sect spoke to both the influence of his sponsoring elder and the general respect proffered onto the religious organization.

  “Wu Ying. You’re here too,” Tou He said with a smile.

  “Isn’t that my line? You have been gone for weeks now,” Wu Ying said. “What happened?”

  “Nothing major,” Tou He replied, scratching the top of his shorn head. “My sponsor felt I needed more training.”

  “More training?” Wu Ying’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

  Tou He was one of the most natural martial prodigies Wu Ying had ever seen—if not the most. Without even trying, Tou He managed to achieve levels of understanding of martial styles others clawed and struggled their way toward. Tou He had managed to enter the inner sect in his first year, all the while doing the least amount of work possible.

  “Yes. We had to face a number of demon beasts on the expedition,” Tou He explained as the pair headed toward the lecture halls. �
��A culling on the Huang Roh Forest. The local lord paid for our involvement, and the Elder was interested in a particular demon stone. We had to trek inward for nearly a week before we found traces of the beast.”

  “Sounds exciting,” Wu Ying said.

  “Not really. Oh, there were fights, but it was mostly a lot of walking and camping. The only good thing was the amount of demon meat we were able to eat.” A smile lit up the ex-monk’s face. “Have you ever tried third-stage demon boar?” At Wu Ying’s shake of his head, Tou He continued. “It’s so much better than second-stage. The taste is richer and deeper and the fat—”

  Wu Ying chuckled as Tou He regaled him about the meat they’d eaten. At the lecture hall, Wu Ying led Tou He around the corner, heading for a side entrance which led them to the top of the hall itself. The rafters were mostly empty, just a few other individuals were present. The vast majority of the inner sect members who were attending the lecture were downstairs, where they were more likely to hear and be heard better.

  “What’s this lecture about?” Tou He asked softly.

  Wu Ying chuckled, as he was not the one who was out of the loop. Liu Tsong had spent the first few days of his initiation, after Wu Ying had recovered, ensuring he completed all the bureaucratic necessities correctly this time. Along the way, Wu Ying had also managed to learn more about the way the inner sect worked.

  “It’s one of the introductory lectures,” Wu Ying said. “How are you here if you didn’t know about it?”

  “I was following everyone else. What’s an introductory lecture?”

  “You know how there are three kinds of lectures?” Wu Ying said, and Tou He shook his head. “Well, there are the private lectures, which are only accessible if the Elder invites you. Those are generally meant for those who are already a disciple of the Elder. Then there are the paid lectures. Those Elders lecture on the topics of their expertise, but those lectures are open to more students and are less personal.

  “Lastly, there are the public introductory lectures. The Elders rotate constantly as the lectures are repeats. But they’re a good introduction to the various occupations, fighting styles, and introductory knowledge a serious cultivator requires.”

  “And this is an introductory lecture,” Tou He said as the pair took seats. The lecture hall was a small half-oval with two levels facing the simple stage. “To what?”

  “Cultivation in the Energy Storage phase,” Wu Ying said.

  Since the sect was not a school and the intake of new members to the inner sect was sparse, the introductory lectures were never set up to cater to the new members. Instead, new inner sect members were expected to work with their sponsoring Elders or other senior members to brush up on what they needed to know. Of course, introductory lectures to the basics of each occupation happened too, but those were often scattered throughout the year as demand built up.

  “Who’s lecturing?”

  Before Wu Ying could showcase his ignorance, their lecturer walked onstage. Wu Ying’s eyes widened then narrowed as he mentally chided himself. Of course Fairy Yang was the most likely candidate. Not only was this lecture extremely basic, the Fairy was also the newest Elder in the sect. Such menial duties would obviously fall to her.

  Yang Fa Yuan was the youngest, most famous Elder in the Sect. Most of her infamy came from her beauty—her pale, fair skin was set off by long lashes and lustrous black hair, a delicate jaw, and a shapely, long-limbed figure. Her title of Fairy was undutiable and unargueable, and many a cultivator had spent hours daydreaming about the cold, imperious beauty.

  “Today’s lecture is about the beginnings of Energy Storage and its differences from cultivation in the Body Cleansing stage. For those who have advanced to the later stages, this lecture is of little benefit.” Fa Yuan paused, obviously waiting for a few cultivators, who stood up and left. Her gaze grew colder as it swept over the members of nobility who stayed before moving to the rafters and spotting Wu Ying and group. As his senior and another student sponsored by Elder Cheng, the pair had a more intimate connection than most.

  “Energy Storage, unlike the Body Cleansing stage of cultivation, is significantly more dangerous. This is because the Energy Storage meridians in a cultivator’s body are entirely closed off, unlike the twelve meridians which are opened during the Body Cleansing stage. As such, to open each new meridian, a cultivator must use additional chi to breach and cleanse these meridians,” Fa Yuan said. “Use too little and a cultivator faces backlash from the backflow of chi into their dantian and meridians. Use too much and you can damage your energy meridian.”

  The soft scrape of ink on paper resounded through the hall as cultivators took notes. Wu Ying sat forward, hands clasped as he listened intently. Thus far, the Fairy had not said anything he had not known, though his lack of notes was also due to his lack of funds. Tou He was quietly turning prayer beads in his hand as he listened.

  “Now, the amount of energy used varies greatly depending on the type and aspect of one’s chi. This is why the presence of an Elder is always recommended during the first attempt at breaking into the Energy Storage stage,” Fa Yuan said. “However, time has shown certain truths. Using the Yellow Emperor’s Cultivation method, it can be deduced that for the majority, double the amount of chi used to break the twelfth meridian is required to open the first Energy Storage meridian.

  “As to which meridian to open first, it is, of course, a matter of your cultivation style. However, many styles have multiple routes of opening. This is unlike Core creation stages, where the development of your Core is specified in exacting steps. In light of this, the Energy Storage channels and their uses are as follows…”

  Wu Ying made sure to listen and memorize as best he could. Much of this knowledge was theoretical, but knowledge could always bring a moment of enlightenment. Still, a part of Wu Ying noted his need to speed up his own cultivation. As a Body Cleanser 8, he was the weakest cultivator in the inner sect by at least one level. While it was unlikely he would be driven from the inner sect, a lack of progress in the next year would definitely carry penalties.

  An hour later, the lecture was complete. As Wu Ying got ready to leave, he straightened in surprise as a voice entered his ear.

  “Come down. We should speak,” Fa Yuan said, sending her voice to his ear via spiritual communication.

  It was the first time Wu Ying had experienced this form of communication, but he found himself nodding automatically.

  “I have to meet Elder Yang,” Wu Ying informed Tou He.

  “No problem. I need to visit the inner administration hall,” Tou He said. “See you there?”

  “Possibly. It depends on what Elder Yang desires,” Wu Ying said.

  Tou He nodded of course, and the pair split up, Wu Ying making his way down the stairs to the edge of the stage. As he walked up to the Fairy, he felt the jealous stares of the nobles who had hung behind, not daring to approach the Elder directly.

  “Elder Yang,” Wu Ying said, bowing in greeting.

  “Junior Long.” Fa Yuan’s words caused a stir among the inner sect members, many who did not know of their relationship. Gazes grew even more heated as Fa Yuan continued. “Elder Cheng has left for the time being. He has mentioned you might require some help during this period.”

  Wu Ying bowed again, smiling. Elder Cheng was considered somewhat eccentric, his belief in fate sometimes trumping what many would consider common sense. That he even mentioned this matter to Fa Yuan was unusual and probably indicated Elder Cheng still thought he owed Wu Ying some minor karma. “Thank you, Elder Yang. I would be grateful for any assistance you might offer.”

  “Very well,” Fa Yuan said approvingly. “Come. I have much to do. Now, tell me. Have you chosen your supporting occupation?”

  “No, Elder,” Wu Ying said. “I… well, I’m still learning of them.”

  Fa Yuan hummed in thought as the pair walked out of the lecture hall and turned toward the peak of the mountain. “Choosing a good supporting oc
cupation is important. While certain prodigies or well-resourced individuals might be able to progress in two or three supporting occupations, for most, mastering a single occupation is their limit. A wise choice now can avoid heartaches in the future.”

  “Yes, Elder.”

  “Of the numerous supporting occupations available in the kingdom, the Verdant Green Waters Sect has expertise only in a few. Blacksmithing, pill refining, and martial specialists have significant numbers of experts in the Sect,” Fa Yuan said. “In addition, Elder Wang is a famous celestial formation master of the fourth ring. He is the one who upkeeps the defensive formations around the Sect.”

  Wu Ying let his gaze roam over the surroundings. Of course, not being trained in celestial formations, he could not pick out the numerous changes to the landscape. Many long-term defensive formations were achieved by altering the natural landscapes of a location rather than the use of temporary formation flags. As the formations were part of the natural landscape, it was impossible for anyone untrained to spot their locations until they were activated.

  “We no longer have a vibrant Spirit Beast taming section, mostly due to the loss of Elder Cho. His death, along with his primary students, in the war a decade ago has impacted the department significantly,” Fa Yuan said, a slight frown creasing her face. “Thus far, we have yet to find a suitable replacement for the Elder. Do any of the ones mentioned interest you?”

  “I don’t know,” Wu Ying said truthfully. “I have heard pill refining is both lucrative and useful in cultivation.”

  “It is,” Fa Yuan said. “But it is also an extremely costly occupation. To gain expertise in pill refinement, you must be willing to fail numerous times at production. Countless herbs and Cores are wasted by new pill refiners. Can you afford such a loss?”

  Wu Ying’s face fell at her words. Fa Yuan was correct. He did not have the background to become a pill refiner, as he lacked both knowledge and funds.