Stifled gasps and exclamation barely breached the barrier between rooms, though they painted a vivid picture of Zhu’s trial. The thrashing of limbs came in poor rhythm, and as lesser taps upon the wall.

It was not until they grew less frequent that Fu’s mind settled, and he knew the [Constellation Seed] was absorbed. Thus bringing his attention to the pouch that Hushi had placed under watch.

Five arms had stripped it bare, and emptied what few contents Fu did not place within his spatial rings. Now the three compartments held open clasps, and the lids of each were exposed to the elements.

Despite the rigour of Hushi’s search, neither knew of what Bingbai spoke.

“It will reveal itself in time. An object swallowed by our ring, perhaps?” he offered, which only half assuaged his Bond’s curiosity. Fu came to stand beside the article, and granted him the translucent ring in its stead.

The difficulty of opening another’s spatial trinket was well known, for the signature of an individual’s [Inner Qi] would bind such things to the cultivator over time. Yet here was a gift already broken, and at Hushi’s thought the contents were spilled.

A table’s worth, and more.

Myriad pills, documents, weapons, clothing, manuals and more cascaded across the surface to settle on the floor below.

“By the Heavens,” he laughed. “Hushi, do not speak of such a mess to the children, else my next warning will fall flat.”

Such wealth I can scarcely believe, yet it speaks to the worth of this assignment. Is this the first of many such rewards, or by happenstance?

Fu plucked a vial of five pills with his right, and set his [Old One’s Whisker] to work.

“[Ephemeral Tempering Pills],” he said, repeating this in sequence. “[True Fog Ginseng], [Nine Breaths Mist Petals], [Blackwater Bear Fang], [Crushed Breeze Nectar].” After each revelation he offered the items to Hushi, who diligently inspected, and set them within piles.

An incense stick might well have reached its end twice before he finished, even as the process was hastened by a lacking mental fortitude - leaving many unnamed. They were thematic of [Air Qi], and drew him to wonder on its origin.

“From within the Lotus Blade Sect’s stores? Or drawn from the disciples that so foolishly attacked Master Ban?” mused Fu.

Though Hushi offered an answer, his pastelle arm brushing a set of characters that were calligraphed atop a close-by manual. It read [Imitation Footwork, Saber], and revealed itself by association.

“The Sepulchral Sabre Sect. Then these belonged to the assassin,” he mused, finding that Hushi impressed the same question upon his lips. “What connection does this hold to a Path I might walk?”

Fu adopted the lotus position before this trove, his [Senses] expanded.

Muted signatures of Qi danced within his room. Small resonances with his [Core] that told of beneficial treasures, if only where [Air Qi] was concerned. Or [Soul Qi], were he to explore this unused [Affinity] more.

But here he patterned his breathing, and drew into meditative quiet. Hushi atop his lap.

Manuals. Pills. Sabres. Herbs. The smaller trinkets were sentimental. [Array] flags. Components from [Spirit Beasts]. When our strength returns we will search again. But it is a fool that searches for a thing he does not know.

The meditation proved a welcome respite from his thoughts, and the minutes soon stretched long. As did the room’s Qi turn familiar. Its ebb and flow. Each particle emitted, and bolstered by the presence of the collection.

A fluctuation.

Hushi sprung with silent grace, and grasped that which did not fit.

His landing had spilled him atop the table, nary an implement touched. One arm was curled aside his eye, and his prize was held close for greater scrutiny.

Fu bid him open it, and smiled. For there within his grasp was a pebble of familiar note, and diminutive pincers at its base. A [Spirit Crab], a hermit, and one of innocuous grey hues. It was set down so that both Bond and cultivator might lower to speak.

The creature regarded them without fear.

“I remember you, friend,” greeted Fu. “Were you not in the [Twilight Lotus Expanse]?”

Intelligently, and with human affectation, it bobbed in the affirmative. A gesture learned from Lotus Blade disciples, Fu mused, or perhaps its observation from within his own pouch.

“I am afraid we cannot return you, that place is sealed to us.”

The [Spirit Crab] shook, and held its small, female pincers together as if to bow.

“Ah. Then there is a reason you stowed away. I cannot speak for brother Hushi, but I am humbled that you went undetected for so long. Your talents mirror our [Qi Suppression] technique well, and without the training of a Sect.”

Here, she preened.

“Would you share why you have come?”

Her pincers clacked between Fu and Hushi, her legs edging forward. Her meaning was clear to grasp, and it appeared that Master Ban had deduced as much.

Again, we are presented with a fateful encounter. A [Spirit Beast] appears as our search for another begins. Though, this is but the first opportunity. We have not turned our attentions to it yet, and diligence might yield a better partner.

“A generous offer, friend. But no small thing to consider.” Fu drew back from the crab, and impressed his thoughts to Hushi.

The return was of mixed sentiment. Thus before this hermetic guest they began a second meditation, and fell into pensiveness.

Grandmother Hua’s words on Paths echoed here. On achieving an equilibrium, and embodiment that would lead them towards the Heavens. The concept to chase that required a great synchronicity between each element of his cultivation.

[Dao], [Prowess], [Affinity], [Arts], and [Constellation Seeds]. No exhaustive list, and the world was indeed vast enough to contain components he could not yet fathom.

But presently, he knew, this was limited by situation. What desperation he had felt for the Cloudy Serpent Sect and his trappings… Fu could not rightly say his thoughts remained the same as they had upon entry.

Each trial had swayed him, as the [Dao of Wayward Breezes] had.

At that time, when ascending the [Dao], he had arrived at the notion of waywardness- of carriage upon the wind that forgave the journey for the destination’s sake. Now, he could not disabuse himself of the thought that he might adjust his course.

If slightly.

We are creatures of [Might], brother. Of swiftness, and with dark vocation. How might we reach the Heavens with this? Our [Constellation Seeds] favour [Pull]. Should this grow, should this be added to…

Within the clarity of his mind, Hushi shared a scene of rushing gales. Of winds that had great temples bay against its rush. Tiles stripped. Eaves lashed and eaten. A barren expanse where it roared through bamboo forests.

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Are we not subtle?

Hushi was pleased with this acknowledgement, impressing that he shared these thoughts. So saying, there came a cycle of concepts. First of lightning’s arrival, swift as their [Might] dictated, birthed from [Air] - as they were.

Then further wind, harsh when demanded and gentle when such was needed.

A precursing gale before the seas changed cruel.

Clouds. An association that his Elder would surely enjoy. Ethereal things that could be touched by no hand. Did not these drift upon winds? Did they not carry thunder in their hearts and the means to strike swift?

Could the Heavens be reached if we are clouds, brother? With the strength to drift across all spaces? Would our children not know safety were their Father above?

His speech with the [Spirit Spider] rang clear as a bell.

To rage against the Heavens is no intent of ours. Only that we might be strong enough to block the sun, as clouds do. To recede that warmth might fall upon Yuling, Yuqi and Feng without its rays taking harm to their skin.

Fu opened his eyes.

Could this crab aid us?

Hushi climbed to its side, and spoke as [Spirit Beasts] do. Impressions, or Qi, Fu knew not, but in response to this did the [Spirit Crab] begin a glow.

A cladding of granite [Air Qi] upon one claw in some miniaturised squall, its leftmost. To the right there beaded water, and [Water Qi], naturally, which pooled upon the table.

“A third [Affinity] to be added,” Fu considered. “Already do we hold the weaknesses of [Air] and [Soul], though the latter is still unknown to us. [Earth Qi] is our bane, our suppressant, and I do not know if I am keen to extend such a list.”

Ban Bingbai’s words became clear as both claws met, for the marriage of both elements gushed forth such a tide of fog that the room became unseen. Heavy and grey tinged, of a kind that had doomed many a fisherman such as he.

It well matched the trove of resources before him. If not a deviation of the Sepulchral Saber Sect’s heritage.

In the gloom of fog, Hushi impressed his assent. Fu drew and circulated his chain to cleanse the room, settling on the [Spirit Crab] thereafter.

“Hushi and I met in dire circumstances,” he began. “Our Bond was of shared necessity, and through this we became one. He is my brother, and I, his. Since then we have only grown. We share no such history, friend.”

The [Spirit Crab] drew close to Hushi’s eye, her form reflected in those golden pools. She did not seem dissuaded.

“Our meeting here… I know of my brother’s caution, for it well matches my own. His diligence, his intelligence, his heart. Your sudden appearance is not how we would have chosen a sister, but the Heavens oft blow queer winds, no?”

A nod.

“Do you understand the scope of this?” he continued. “To tie yourself to us may not bring you what you seek. We are guardians of other souls: those you do not know. Neither Hushi nor I would bind you to a life such as this were you unwilling.”

One wisp of excited fog piped from her mouth, and she leapt aboard Fu’s offered palm.

“[Spirit], or [Mind]. As our newest sister, I would grant you this choice.”

Her small claws directed a touch towards his forehead.

[Mind], then.

Upon their touch; the meeting of their shared will, the world flashed grey.

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Images harkened back to a darkened pit. Of awaking to find an eight legged demon upon his chest.

How far we have come.

Further now, for he was more. A breath revealed this.

[Winter] entered his lungs with such enrichment that he could scarce describe it. The [Season] had deepened, he, had deepened. A profundity swarmed about him. It invigorated his [Core], and set his [Channels] ablaze with even a gasp of Qi such as this.

The [Air Qi]. The [Season] itself.

His readings had revealed such, and now of two [Winters] a minor thought emerged. The dread of his [Tyranny], and of its lesser siblings. Sparsity within [Spring] and [Summer], and the enfeeblement that [Autumn] would inflict.

Fu hummed.

Ill thoughts are no way to begin.

Two impressions shared this.

Two flows of Qi drew into his [Core] as he set into the lotus position.

The labyrinthian halls of the Clouded Courts did not field an abundance of [Air Qi] so deep in the earth’s bowels. Yet a twofold draw of the ambient energy shored up a weakness of this like, however queer within his [Core].

His revolving sphere of [Air Qi] had grown to two points- bulging, as if a dimpled pear. That which he shared with Hushi, a grand thing that dwarfed this small addendum. Tethered, if only by [Air Qi], for Fu marked the flow of [Soul Qi] did not enter the crab’s domain, nor did [Water Qi] enter Hushi’s.

But he viewed a small dalliance in its nature, where water and air mingled to become fog. Where it brushed against a long-forgotten plight and similarly had him quiver with anticipation.

[Impurities] to be cleansed, and the [Meridians] beyond.

“That is enough introspection,” said Fu, and opened his eyes to both partners. Here he clasped his hands, and bowed at the [Spirit Crab] upon his knee. “We welcome you, sister. But if it pleases you, we should have a name to call you.”

The [Spirit Crab] was a respectful sort, it seemed. For her claws kissed, and she affected a bow not unlike any Sect junior.

Fu set a finger to her shell, tentatively. One that might be mistaken for a droplet, in truth, and offered her name as such.

“Shuidi,” he said.

Shuidii bowed ever deeper. Hushi impressed his pleasure to both.

[Ink].

Forgotten to him, the [Hollow Ivory Splinter] first revealed what it had reaped within the [Spirit Spider’s] trial.

Then came his changes.

Now upon the path of [Mind] he had thought some [Prowess] or [Boon] would list itself there. An inkling of [Qi Manifestation] or manipulation. But perhaps he was counting his fish before they were caught.

Fu looked to his partners. To the resources. To the [Ink] before him, its pastel hue now afflicted with further grey.

“Master Ban may hold tasks for us soon enough. But in this time, Shuidi, let us perfect your stealth. That you were hidden so long is again, impressive, though this or the [Clouded Ghost Arts] must be attained before we set forth again,” he said, and dipped his head towards Hushi. “Brother Hushi is a marvel, and best suited to teach.”

Shuidi bowed once more.

A good thing, this. Our foundation has widened, and new paths have opened. Yet there are several things I must check. Our unused boons, and the nature of this [Soul Qi]. These must be known to us so our growth does not move wayward.

He knew the Clouded Archives may yet remedy that, or the burgeoning wealth within his ring. The Contribution Exchange would soon open his spoils, and for this… for this he thought to allow himself a luxury.

This once, he would put his thoughts on debt aside.

Fu rose. “I will take my leave, brother, sister. Our reading materials have run dry, and I would see this remedied.” He drew his resources into storage, and abruptly set off with a rare spring to his step.

HIs eagerness, barely contained.