“No armor. A poor crossbow. No talismans.”
“Yes, Elder,” Wu Ying acknowledged.
“Well, it looks like we have much to offer then. Tell me of your fighting style and your current martial styles.”
Wu Ying hesitated then pushed it aside before the Elder could grow impatient. There was little point in hiding his capabilities from the Elder. The sect was not that large, and all his styles—with the exception of the Long family style—had originated from the sect itself. Wu Ying would not be surprised if the details of what he had acquired was in his sect token.
When Wu Ying finished speaking, Elder Wen said, “I would counsel a few options with your current contribution points. Come.” Elder Wen strode to the center of the waiting hall and stood before a table before she beckoned to the waiting attendants. “Bring the Azure Thunder Silk, the Radiant Flame Talismans, and the Brilliant Woo Petal Bracer.”
In short order, the attendants returned. During the interim, Elder Wen had taken a seat, allowing Wu Ying to serve her the tea that sat brewing on the table. At Elder Wen’s gesture of consent, the attendants pulled apart the cloths hiding each of their burdens from view. First to be revealed were simple, pale underrobes made from Azure Thunder Silk. As Wu Ying traced the silk with his fingers, he sensed the chi woven directly into the silk itself.
“Thunder Silk is produced by the thunder silkworms. Twice as strong as woven steel of the same width, the silk’s nature helps absorb impact and resists cutting. It is also extremely comfortable in all kinds of weather and helps regulate a wearer’s temperature,” Elder Wen said. “Expensive, but Thunder Silk is worn by the majority of our inner sect members who are intent on placing themselves in dangerous situations.”
“Is the silk considered spirit-grade material?”
“No. But it is on the border between mortal and spirit,” Elder Wen said. “True spirit-grade material would be out of your price range. You are better purchasing this and proper armor from the blacksmiths.”
Wu Ying nodded, moving his fingers away from the robes. “How much additional protection would this offer?”
“Some,” Elder Wen said. “Mostly against creatures who wield air- or earth-aspected chi. Certain forms of blunt impacts will also be decreased.”
“And the talismans?”
Elder Wen turned toward the talismans, simple slips of yellow paper with words written on them. However, they were not ordinary words but chi-infused scribbles, powered by the author’s chi. “The Radiant Flame Talismans were penned by a flame cultivator. Powerful talismans for offense. A single offensive talisman is sufficient to injure, if not kill, a beast below the equivalent Body Cleansing stage. Against those at the Energy Storage stage, it will injure and distract.”
Wu Ying eyed the five offensive talismans before he turned to the other five.
Three were separated and what Elder Ru gestured at next. “Defensive wards. Not as effective, as they’re flame-aspected, but they will form a simple fire wall sufficient to scare away most beasts.
“The final two are warding talismans. They will form wards when deployed and alert you when those of hostile intent cross the barrier.”
“Useful, but limited use,” Wu Ying said.
“Of course. If they were unlimited use, they would be significantly more expensive,” Elder Wen said. “Lastly, we have the Woo Petal Bracer.”
Wu Ying picked up the bracer. The bracer was delicately carved of jade, the petals of numerous types of flowers detailed with loving care. As Wu Ying turned the bracer, the wood of the table they sat at sparkled through the gaps between the petals. “There’s a distortion…”
“Between the petals,” Elder Wen said. “The bracer collects chi from the surroundings and stores it between the petals and inside the jade itself, a nectar of power. Its creator was metal-aspected, and when used with your jian, it will allow you to project metallic sword chi.”
“A chi attack?” Wu Ying said, surprised. He turned the bracer over a bit quicker. This was a powerful, precious artifact.
“Yes. You have two uses before the bracer must recharge,” Elder Wen said. “Still, it is powerful.”
“Can I afford it?”
“Barely,” Elder Wen said. “I must caution you, unless you choose metal apect, this bracer will reject you once you gain an aspect. Its creator was strongly metal aspected and passed that on to his creation. Even those of wood or earth aspects are unable to use it.”
That would explain the cheaper cost of the bracer. Those in the Energy Storage stage would find the equipment useful but not necessary, since they could project their own chi. Those in the Body Cleansing stage would desire the bracer but find it a risky investment unless they were already metal aspected.
Then again… Wu Ying touched his ring. He did have the Yellow Emperor’s cultivation manual for the Energy Storage stage. He planned on continuing in the Yellow Emperor’s cultivation method, staying away from aspecting himself until he found a cultivation style which suited him. It was not, Wu Ying knew, the most optimal or the most efficient of choices. But it left his choices open and that, Wu Ying felt, was important.
“Defense, offense, and versatility,” Wu Ying said, naming each of the three items she had brought. He hesitated but discarded an errant thought. Asking for something to make him lighter on his feet or faster was useless. Not only were items that contributed to speed in high demand, but he was going to be traveling with the expedition. It was unlikely he would ever need to run away.
“You have much to think about.” Elder Wen finished her cup of tea and stood. “Inform my attendants when you are done. They will deduct the requisite points and return your sect token to you.”
“Thank you, Elder,” Wu Ying said as he stood and bowed.
“Take care. And remember, on your first expedition, there is no shame in being cautious,” Elder Wen said before she walked off.
Wu Ying sat back down to ponder his decision and her final words. Was she hinting he should pick up the silk robes?
Chapter 17
The day of the expedition arrived all too quickly for Wu Ying’s taste. When Ru Ping realized Wu Ying would be joining the expedition, he initiated an even more intensive set of lessons, forcing Wu Ying to work the fields and repeatedly harvest the plants they expected to encounter. In the little free time he had left, Wu Ying bought a set of light, banded armor and threw himself into cultivation and training with the martial specialists. Pill refining could take a backseat to increasing his survival chances.
At the main paifang that marked the boundaries of the sect proper, Wu Ying looked around at the expedition group. Elder Lu, the gatekeeper, spoke with the other Elders, while the remaining members of the expeditionary force spoke to one another.
“Why are we waiting?” Tou He asked, looking about at the gathered group. “Are we not all here?”
“We are, but it’s not yet a fortuitous time to leave. I understand Elder Li paid for a reading to ensure we face better fortune,” Chao Kun said.
“Har. That’s all superstitious rubbish,” Li Yao said as she joined them, her quarterstaff on her shoulder.
All three men turned toward her with varying expressions of disapproval and disappointment.
“Are you saying Elder Kim’s foretelling is rubbish?” Chao Kun said.
“Ah… not Elder Kim,” Li Yao backtracked. “But most fortune telling is wrong.”
“Street fortune tellers and charlatans are not Elder Kim. He is well known for his ability to read the will of heaven,” Chao Kun said.
“Yes, of course. I never understood what delaying our journey would do. We could leave now and get to the flower sooner,” Li Yao said.
“The journey is at least two weeks long,” Chao Kun said. “And that is if we travel directly to the kurinji flower. But worry not. We have a week’s leeway.”