Demon Wolf

“Come in,” a Qi-infused voice whispered behind the door, the potent energy overflowing within it shocked Wolf.

This is the strongest person I’ve ever met. His danger sense screamed before other thoughts formed. Eleanor opened the door just as Wolf realized that the only reason the pavilion master had to infuse Qi into her voice was to awe him.

“Greetings, Pavilion Master.” Eleanor bowed; deeper than decorum required, Wolf noted. “I bring joyous news. We have a new core disciple, the third one this decade.”

Wolf followed etiquette, bowing before the pavilion master while taking in her humble office buried in paperwork.

The room was tiny, its furniture made of cheap wood, cheaper than what Wolf saw in Agnes’s Barn. I doubt they lack money to buy better furnishings. You could buy a mansion with a handful of blood crystals, let alone a decent desk and half a dozen chairs.

“At ease.” Wolf raised his gaze and met those murky eyes, shuddering the moment they made eye contact.

Soul decay. She’s got less than a year. Wolf’s skin crawled at the sight, recalling his father’s condition, which never devolved to a stage as horrendous.

A moment later, Wolf took in the rest of the old woman’s appearance. She appeared middle-aged and sat straight as a pillar, emanating the aura of an unshakeable mountain. Her face had a scant few wrinkles and her unbound breasts stood proud and perky, her robe revealing an outline of her nipples. Her hair was raven, free of gray, and a benevolent smile adorned her face. Despite the cataracts, her gaze held keen intellect, unfortunately ruined by soul decay.

“Young man, I will say things straight. My Earth Pavilion doesn’t have the resources to raise you properly.” The pavilion master locked her gaze with Wolf’s. “I will send you to our premiere Qi Gathering secluded world, so you can reach Blood Saturating with the least effort, then I will send you to a better Earth Pavilion.”

The woman paused, and Wolf’s skin crawled once more. She’s gathering her thoughts for such a simple conversation.

“In all honesty, I would have sent you now, but you would need a month or two to reach any of the top Earth Pavilions. Then you would miss the secluded worlds’ opening, which is why you joined us in the first place.” A note of mischief tinged the pavilion master’s benevolent voice, and Wolf opened his mouth to deny the accusation, but then he clamped his mouth shut.

Any misunderstanding and justification of my front benefits me, as long as they don’t realize I’m an invading “fiend”.

So, what should I say?

“Thank you,” Wolf followed Mandy’s social advice yet again, and, per usual, it worked.

“You’re welcome.” The pavilion master nodded after a second’s worth of lag. “Earth Pavilion was established to nurture talent, and your talent is too great for our tiny outpost. We will draft letters of introduction, and by the time the secluded world closes in seven months, you will have stronger backing.”

The pavilion master paused again. “You have ten days before our disciples leave for Corpsewood. By Earth Pavilion rules, you should get your contribution points and resources on the last day of the month, but I will pay you in advance, so you can equip yourself with an adequate Blood Saturating quality weapon, armor, purchase lifesaving talismans and such.”

She’s worried about my safety and future? She seems genuine. Or she’s an excellent actress, however, given the state of her soul, masterful acting should be impossible.

“Thank you. May I ask why you are helping me, Pavilion Master?”

“I already told you,” the woman replied after a split-second pause. “Earth Pavilion was established to nurture people like you.”

Those words are awful similar to old Smith’s “Seeker Academy was founded to nurture talent”. What does Earth Pavilion do to other people, like outer and inner disciples? Do they also feed them to the grinders?

“In that case, I gladly accept your aid. I will try to return in kind in the future.” Wolf cupped his hands, feeling another shackle form and squeeze his heart for a moment.

He did not mind it. If the elderly woman was setting him up, he would retaliate as long as his vengeance came cheap. If she really had benevolent intentions, he would reward her.

“You may leave.” The pavilion master then shifted her gaze towards Elder Dread. “Elder Dreadingham, please, explain our general situation to disciple Hillman. Now, if you don’t mind, I must return to my work.”

Eleanor led Wolf out of the room, and after another polite bow, closed the door.

“Follow me,” she said and exited the modest building which housed the pavilion master’s living quarters and office.

The stone structure was molded out of a single slab of rock, less than forty meters in circumference. Its few windows lacked glass and had nothing but humble wooden shutters to keep the cold out. Neither tiles, nor thatch topped the building. Instead, a singular slab of smooth stone made its slanted roof. 

If this hovel is the pavilion master’s residence, where the hells do I live? Wolf wondered, but dropped this line of thought as Eleanor spoke.

“Earth Pavilions have fair rules. Cultivation is a path of endless toil and strife. What you have is always what you deserve. If you deserve more, you will take it from others. If you deserve less, others will take it from you, likely killing or maiming you in the process. Such is cultivation.”

She began descending the mountain peak on which sat the Earth Pavilion’s pavilion master’s abode. From below, impenetrable clouds obscured the stone shack giving it an air of mystery. Only five elders, Elder Dread included, had the privilege of seeing where their leader dwelled.

The winding downward path was several kilometers long, and instead of using fancy footwork, Eleanor walked with deliberate slowness. Wolf did not consider the honor, nor Eleanor’s reverence. Instead, he stuffed a chicken croquette into his mouth.

“Just like people, organizations compete. Just like disciples compete within the Earth Pavilion, Earth Pavilions compete against other Earth Pavilions. The strong reap the benefits, the weak suffer the consequences of others’ success. Above us stands the Earth Monastery, with a hundred Earth Pavilions under it. We rank fifty-fifth on that list, standing right in the middle. Neither too weak for the strong to ignore, neither strong enough to be the masters of our own fate.”

After descending through a hundred meters of clouds, the spectacular view opened before Wolf.

“The five smaller peaks, you see obscured by clouds over there,” Eleanor gestured towards the five nearby summits, “are the homes of us core elders. Below, standing in full view, is the peak with housing and facilities for inner and outer elders. And that one over there, with twenty mansions, is for core disciples. The central plateau, from which we climbed and where we are descending to, is where inner disciples reside, along with various halls required for training and education; that plateau far below is for outer disciples and various facilities which require manual labor, such as the kitchens, gardens, stables and similar.”

Wolf had already memorized the layout when he first passed by those buildings on his way to meet the pavilion master. An hour ago, Eleanor showed no interest in acting like Wolf’s tour guide, but a single word from the pavilion master changed her disposition.

“I’ll show you to the Treasure Hall and Knowledge Hall before taking you to your residence. You are free to choose your mansion; they are identical. Earth Pavilions, along with all their peaks and buildings are artificial structures made by Earth Monastery’s higher-ups using sacred earth techniques our order is famous for…”

Eleanor gave a broad introduction on all subjects, which would impact Wolf’s brief stay within the complex. She explained the minimalistic architecture and how Earth Pavilion sculpted its buildings from whatever earth or stone was present, much the same way as the wall which divided the civilized lands from the savages.

“The best thing you can do with your contribution points, once you purchase necessary supplies, is to book several hours of my time to check your cultivation technique. That way I can find flaws and areas which you should improve before forming Qi veins and Qi core. I can also help you find relevant movement and combat arts in the Knowledge Hall. Such arts are even more important than cultivation techniques, since they impact your immediate combat ability.” Elder Dread advertised her services without a hint of modesty.

That’s not a bad idea. Wolf refrained from rubbing his chin, forcing himself to nod. “How much will a good sword cost?”

“I can’t afford a good sword.” Eleanor snorted. “The weapon I have is durable and passable for my realm. Good swords are things immortals use, often gifts from the Glorious Tyrant’s palace.”

Eleanor paused, realizing she had made the usual snarky remark, instead of offering help, which was her job at the moment. “But a blade which will serve you well in the secluded world and through your Blood Saturating realm should cost…”